Director urges Bourbon County to re-engage with regional juvenile detention center amid low local bed use

Michael Walden, director of the Southeast Kansas Juvenile Detention Center (SEK JDC), told Bourbon County commissioners on June 23 that the detention center is a regional facility formed to meet federal and state juvenile detention standards and that sustained county engagement is needed to preserve local access and control.

Walden said the SEK JDC was constructed in 1994 after state planning and bond financing to meet the federal Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (the JJDP Act) requirement that juveniles be housed "sight and sound" separate from adults. He described how the region moved from per-diem billing to a multi-factor funding formula that uses a four-year average of bed-days plus county population and valuation to set each county's share. Walden said that funding design recognizes that counties contribute different amounts based on use and size.

Walden and his leadership team explained operational constraints unique to juvenile detention: staff must meet state-mandated hiring standards (workers must be 21 and have behavioral-health coursework), and centers must meet specific physical standards for lighting and space. He said those requirements make the facility more expensive to operate than a simple adult holding facility but are mandated by state and federal rules.

Walden briefed commissioners on utilization and placement issues: he said many juveniles in Southeast Kansas are being placed outside the region because the state or other agencies cannot place them locally; that creates transportation and fiscal burdens for rural counties. He told the commission there is legislative activity (a House vote referenced to repeal 75% of Senate Bill 367) and that the Kansas detention placement instrument (KDAI) is under review; he characterized the instrument's implementation and training as inconsistent across the state and said his center is working with the Kansas Department of Corrections on improvements.

The director said Bourbon County currently has funds and property interest at the center (he estimated roughly $400,000 in county funds and property value attributable to the center under the regional agreement) and he asked commissioners to become more engaged. Walden said the center is exploring use of up to seven beds for other revenue-generating placements that would not displace detention capacity; he estimated a potential $540,000 revenue opportunity for the region if permitted by state rules, which could reduce county shares. He asked Bourbon County commissioners to attend board meetings and remain present for governance decisions; he also invited commissioners to tour the facility.

Commissioners asked clarifying questions about historical agreements (a regional agreement dating to 1992/1993 was discussed) and whether the board could negotiate different terms; Walden said that decisions about altering the interlocal agreement rest with the detention center board. The commission agreed to have staff coordinate contact between the sheriff's office and the detention center director and to pursue additional information, including a line-item breakdown of the county's financial stake.

Ending: Walden left materials and said the detention center board will meet July 23; he encouraged Bourbon County representation at that meeting and asked for continuing dialogue on possible alternative placements to generate regional revenue and lower per-county costs.