Union County approves Redeploy DHS budget and yearly subcontract agreements to expand juvenile services

Union County commissioners approved the county's Redeploy Illinois/DHS application budget and a set of annual subcontract agreements to fund community-based services aimed at reducing youth incarceration.

Becky Pierce, the program director for the First Circuit Redeploy program, summarized the budget and the work the program funds. "We deploy seats to increase to decrease incarceration and provide intervention to youth within the first circuit rather than sending them to IDJJ," Pierce said, describing the program's core aim to use local services and diversion to avoid state juvenile incarceration.

The budget presented by Pierce covers personnel (including a client care coordinator and an engagement specialist), fringe benefits, travel, supplies, contractual services and an indirect-cost line for the county. Pierce told the board the contract year runs July 1 through June 30. She said the program is level-funded this year and highlighted that the program now serves about 88 youth compared with roughly 45 when she became director.

Pierce outlined services purchased through subcontractors, which include individual counseling, wraparound models, anger-management classes, offender treatment and evaluations, outpatient substance-use treatment, psychological evaluations and private transport for youth who must travel around the circuit. She also said the program maintains an incentive and supply closet used to remove barriers to participation (phones, gas cards, school supplies). Pierce identified personnel by name as part of the budget discussion: Julia Hayward (client care coordinator) and Heather Carter (engagement specialist).

As part of the Redeploy package the board approved a 10% indirect-cost allocation for the county; Pierce noted that the county's share from those indirect costs totals $41,741. Commissioners then approved individual annual subcontract agreements for the providers Pierce listed, including Centerstone, Advanced Transportation, Joyce Counseling and several clinical providers and counseling agencies used across the circuit. Commissioners voted aloud for each subcontract motion; the roll calls recorded voting "Yes" by the commissioners present.

Commissioners discussed no changes to service types during the presentation; Pierce told the board the only substantive staffing change was bringing on a new subcontractor to work with youth in Carbondale and hiring an engagement specialist to improve referral turnaround times.

The board approved the Redeploy DHS application budget and the set of annual subcontract agreements by roll-call votes.