Idaho juvenile corrections seeks funding for radios, substance-use treatment as youth population rises

The Idaho Department of Juvenile Corrections asked the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee on Feb. 18 for a mix of one-time and ongoing funding to replace radio equipment, sustain residential substance use disorder treatment and realign personnel costs as the agency’s youth census climbs.

Department budget analyst Noah Peterson told the committee the department requests a $380,000 one-time purchase from the Juvenile Corrections Endowment Income Fund to upgrade radios across the Lewiston, Nampa and St. Anthony juvenile correction centers. Peterson said a key feature is a “man down” function to alert staff to an employee needing assistance and that some radios already bought have not been programmed.

The radio upgrade request is part of a package of enhancement items the department presented to the committee. Peterson also described a $300,000 ongoing general-fund request to cover higher costs of daily residential treatment for youth with substance use disorders. He said the department’s per-day residential rate rose from about $198 in 2021 to $399 in August 2021, and average length of stay increased from 31 days to 67…