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Committee questions $200,000 consultant and urges caution on pretrial expansion until pilot data are available
Summary
Senate Judiciary members questioned a $200,000 consultant line for converting a facility to secure treatment, expressed preference for routing funds to existing providers, and recommended delaying expansion of pretrial services until pilot outcomes are reported.
Senate Judiciary members expressed skepticism about a proposed $200,000 consultant contract tied to planning for secure treatment facilities and urged caution about expanding pretrial services before pilot data are available.
Committee discussion described a $200,000 line item listed as a consultant expense to support conversion of a facility (discussants mentioned St. Johnsbury and conversion of a facility into secure treatment). Several members questioned what a consultant would accomplish for that amount and suggested the Legislature should prefer contracting directly with established local treatment providers or directing funds to facilities already providing services.
On pretrial supervision, members said the statewide expansion remains in pilot form and that data collection on performance and outcomes should guide decisions on broader rollout. One committee member recommended revisiting the pretrial expansion the following year after the pilot has produced evaluative data.
Committee members also discussed community-based treatment funding and whether money would be better spent on providers such as the Howard Center or Valley Vista rather than consultants. The transcript records no formal appropriation but shows committee consensus to ask for clearer program details and to prefer funding established service providers when practical.
