Johnson County authorizes agreements to house out‑of‑county youth at juvenile detention center; rate set at $150 per day

The Johnson County Board of Commissioners on June 5 approved a resolution delegating authority to the county manager or designee to enter juvenile housing agreements with other Kansas counties to house out‑of‑county youth at the Johnson County juvenile detention center.

Victor Sullivan, Department of Corrections representative, told the board the $150 per‑day charge is customary among Kansas juvenile detention centers and is intended to offset part of the marginal cost of housing out‑of‑county juveniles; full operational cost at full capacity was presented at roughly $429 per day. "It's just been the customary amount that's charged to Kansas," Sullivan said.

Commissioners discussed capacity and modular design. The detention center can open four 10‑bed modules; census fluctuates and has ranged from single‑digit counts to about 31 detainees, which at times requires use of all modules. Commissioners expressed support for offering beds to neighboring counties to offset fixed costs and preserve surge capacity. Commissioner Hanslick noted the county should be cautious about closing modules entirely because demand can spike; commissioners referenced prior successful temporary closures when census was low.

The motion was made by Commissioner Hanslick, seconded by Commissioner Allen Brand, and passed unanimously (6–0). The board instructed staff to continue evaluating responsible ways to open and close units consistent with operational needs and to use the agreements to recoup marginal costs while maintaining surge capacity.