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West Central Regional Juvenile Center reports program growth, staffing and state policy concerns
Summary
The West Central Regional Juvenile Center's director reported stable secure residential programming, high nonmember usage, expansion of gender-specific transition programming, staffing improvements and concerns about state policy changes and mental-health placement availability.
The board received the 2024 annual update from the West Central Regional Juvenile Center on March 11. James, the center director, briefed commissioners on population, programming, partners, staffing and policy challenges facing youth placements across Minnesota.
James described the center's two main program types: secure (detention and secure residential) and non-secure (short-term emergency placements and transition programs). He said the center is licensed for 55 secure beds and has physical space for 65, but staff intentionally maintain licensing limits to preserve programming quality and staffing levels. Average secure-population figures were described as roughly 20 youth in detention and about 20 in secure residential programming on typical days, with program ceilings tied to staffing and treatment-intensity needs.
Staff emphasized the center's secure residential program draws non-member county placements and generates non-member revenue; the director credited program leadership and named partner agencies including Moorhead Public Schools (education), Lutheran Social Services (therapists), Lakeland Mental Health (evaluations), Solutions (chemical-dependency services), and individualized psychiatric providers who visit the facility for medication management.
The director reported growth in non-secure usage by Clay County youth driven by limited state resources for mental-health placements; historically about half of non-secure youth were non-member placements, but in 2024 Clay County youth made up a larger share. He also said the center obtained roughly $750,000 in grant funding through 2025 to support CLPS programming and is opening a female transition program expected to start at the end of the month.
Staff described continuing challenges in the state system: a lack of psychiatric and longer-term treatment placements in Minnesota and recent changes that may restrict placement of certain younger youth in secure facilities. James said the center is preparing for an August 2026 change that, as described to the board, will limit housing some youth under age 13 in secure settings; staff estimated that change would affect roughly 5 percent of the center's current population.
On staffing, James reported improving retention: full-time staff turnover decreased to nine in the reporting year from higher figures in 2021; the center employs a mix of full-time, variable-hour and administrative staff and said three openings remain for the female program pending its opening. Commissioners praised the center's work and noted its reputation among member counties and statewide partners.
