Idaho juvenile corrections seeks funds for radio upgrades, substance-use treatment as staff flag rising mental-health needs

The Idaho Department of Juvenile Corrections on Feb. 18 told the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee (JFAC) it needs $380,000 one-time to upgrade facility radio systems and $300,000 ongoing from the general fund to cover rising residential substance-use disorder (SUD) treatment costs, while department leaders pressed legislators for help addressing growing mental-health needs among youth in custody.

Noah Peterson, budget policy analyst for the Legislative Budget Office, told the committee the radio replacement is a one-time request from the Juvenile Corrections Endowment Income Fund to add “man down” functionality and to program radios so all three state juvenile correction centers — Lewiston, Nampa and St. Anthony — have consistent equipment and programming.

That upgrade is one of several budget changes the department presented as it explained recent spending trends and requests. Director Ashley Dowell told JFAC she is “concerned about just the level of mental health we’re seeing in the youth” and that the department has observed “an increase in criminality as well and so want to work on how best to address that and make sure that we are, properly policing and treating those kids.”

Why it matters: Department officials said mental-health concerns and increases in self-harm and suicidal ideation among youth are driving service needs inside facilities and to community partners, and are contributing to higher costs for some contracted treatment. The department said most juveniles (about 95%) remain on probation in the community and that community partnerships are therefore central to outcomes.

What the budget items cover: Peterson described the SUD residential treatment request as an ongoing $300,000 general-fund increase to make up for funding previously provided by the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare through one-time ARPA or other federal funds. According to the presentation, the daily cost for contracted residential treatment increased from about $198 per day to $399 per day in August 2021, and average length of stay rose from 31 days to 67 days. The department reported program costs grew from roughly $1,260,000 in FY2021 to $2,700,000 in FY2024.

Officials said Health and Welfare had temporarily offset some of those increases but can no longer do so, prompting the department’s budget request to the legislature.

Population, diversion and age policy: Director Dowell said the department’s in-custody population reached an all-time low of 137 in May 2024 and was 176 at the time of the hearing, a roughly 19% increase from that low. She reiterated that Idaho’s secure juvenile facilities serve youth ages 10 through 21 and noted there is no statutory minimum age for county detention, though Idaho code prohibits placing children under 10 in state IDJC facilities. Dowell said the department and the Idaho Behavioral Health Council diversion subcommittee are discussing whether the state should set a statutory minimum age for detention.

Human-trafficking screening: Dowell told the committee the human-trafficking screening law passed last session has been implemented. "That bill has been fully implemented. The due date for that was January of 2025," she said, adding the department and counties identified screening tools and trained staff; IDJC adopted the same screening for consistency across county and facility settings.

Data requests and unanswered details: Committee members asked for more detailed data on facility population trends, youth crisis-center outcomes and whether community treatment providers’ placement decisions and longer stays are consistent with best practice. Peterson and Dowell said staff would provide historical population data and whatever information the agency has about crisis-center diversions and treatment lengths. The department noted placement decisions for community residential providers are typically made under placement criteria such as those of the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM), which govern clinical placement and length of stay.

Budget context and other items: Peterson summarized the department’s funds (Juvenile Corrections Fund, cigarette and tobacco tax fund, miscellaneous revenue fund and the Juvenile Corrections Endowment Income Fund) and noted recent spikes in appropriation were driven by one-time supplemental and reappropriated funds for items such as safety and reception centers and youth assessment centers. He said about 60% of FY2024 expenditures were personnel ($32.9 million), 29% trustee and benefit payments (pass-throughs to counties and vendors) and 11% operating expenditures.

What’s next: Committee members asked the department to provide population trend data, crisis-center diversion metrics, and more detail about residential-treatment utilization and costs. Director Dowell said she would return with additional information and work with committee analysts.