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Legislature proposes targeted investments in juvenile rehabilitation while funding some new facility capacity
Summary
DCYF officials said both budgets fund a new 46‑bed Harbor Heights juvenile rehabilitation facility and several program investments — classification staffing, behavior management implementation, opioid‑use disorder treatment capacity and capital upgrades — while also proposing some program eliminations and provisos directing capacity reporting.
The Department of Children, Youth, and Families described several juvenile rehabilitation (JR) investments contained in the House and Senate budget proposals, including funding for a new Harbor Heights facility and staffing and treatment supports, alongside some proposed eliminations and directed reporting.
“Both budgets fund the Harbor Heights facility, which is a new JR facility located on the grounds of Stafford Creek,” Allison Lisonbee Kreutzinger said. DCYF said Harbor Heights would be a 46‑bed facility expected to open in June and phase up to full capacity.
The department identified investments in classification specialists, implementation of a behavior management system, continued funding for opioid use disorder medical staff and opioid intervention work, and capital upgrades across the JR footprint, including a master plan for facility needs. DCYF said the House budget adds predesign and design work to evaluate Mission Creek for potential future capacity; the Senate budget did not include that directive.
DCYF also noted a funding reduction or elimination in some local programs: the House budget would eliminate the Kitsap credible messengers program and proposes a sweep of underspend. The department reiterated disagreement with some Senate underspend assumptions and said it remains concerned about data used to justify reductions.
Provisos in the budgets direct DCYF to report on capacity needs and population growth in the JR system; DCYF said those provisos will guide upcoming reporting and planning work. The agency noted that the legislature’s investments respond to a recent increase in JR population and aimed to provide more capacity and treatment options for young people in care.
DCYF said the House and Senate budgets are similar on many capital projects but differ on long‑term capacity planning around Mission Creek and on some programmatic eliminations; the department will provide further detail after the final budget is enacted.
