Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Juvenile Services topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Kinsey Youth Center director says shelter care operating funds shrinking as facility rebuilds services
Summary
County officials and Kinsey Youth Center leadership debated staffing levels and program revenue at the Sept. 11 budget workshop; the Kinsey director said the program faces operating pressure and asked the county to maintain personnel funding while the center rebuilds occupancy and revenue.
Kinsey Youth Center leadership told Howard County officials Sept. 11 that the county-run juvenile shelter care program is operating below planned occupancy and that operating flexibility is needed while the center reconstitutes services.
“Kenzie has been shut down for two months” earlier in the year for compliance work, Kinsey staff said during the workshop. “I only have $40,000 left,” the Kinsey director said when describing the facility’s narrowed operating cushion. Kinsey staff explained the unit is licensed to hold up to 18 youth but that current practice uses single rooms because of behavioral and safety considerations. Staff described the program’s specialized caseload and said the state pays per‑diem rates for certain placements, which can materially affect revenue when occupancy is higher.
Council members and commissioners pressed administration and Kinsey staff on staffing ratios and whether the county should consider alternative approaches. Kinsey staff described the regulatory requirement that at least two youth‑supervisory staff be present during sleeping hours and explained that daytime staffing is heavier because staff must provide transport, medical care and appointments in addition to direct supervision.
Officials discussed trade-offs between reducing personnel and preserving the facility’s ability to serve county residents and neighboring jurisdictions. The council’s fiscal staff noted that Kinsey had spent down a portion of an appropriation in 2024 and that, looking ahead, Kinsey leaders projected additional revenue if occupancy returned to prior levels. Because of the program’s complexity and the potential downstream effects on other departments (for example, sheriff transports and court appearances), council members and the board said they would keep personnel funding intact for now and monitor recovery.
Council members said they would re‑evaluate appropriations if Kinsey’s occupancy and revenue projections materialize; they also noted the county could consider a targeted appropriation later if necessary.
