Washington County reviews Riverbend Place capacity as demand shifts from residential to shelter care

Washington County Health & Human Services staff presented an operational review of Riverbend Place — the county‑owned youth residential and shelter program — and told the committee the facility is licensed for up to 12 beds (10 in typical full operation), but residential use has been low while shelter episodes have increased.

Coral, who walked the committee through the report, and Julie Newman said Riverbend serves two programs concurrently: residential treatment (generally intended for six to nine months) and temporary shelter placements (statutorily limited to 30 days with one 30‑day extension). Riverbend’s model allows most residents to continue attending their home schools during residential stays; staff said that continuity of schooling and family contact has been a program strength.

The report showed the county’s residential census has declined while shelter episodes and median shelter lengths have increased. Chelsea (presentation language) and Coral noted that 22 percent of youth served in recent years had previously received shelter or residential services, and staff attribute longer shelter stays primarily to waiting for appropriate placements elsewhere.

Staff said Riverbend is contracted with Norris Inc. following a 2019 RFP and that Norris’s leadership turnover and hiring challenges have affected the vendor’s ability to maintain beds and to attract out‑of‑county placements that helped offset operating costs. The county agreed in 2024 to pay a larger share of costs while Norris attempted to maintain operations; overall contract costs have risen about $350,000–$500,000 from the original 2020 arrangement, county staff said.

Norris proposed a 90‑day assessment center intended to provide comprehensive assessments and short‑term therapeutic intervention to determine appropriate placements and to allow faster community‑based wraparound supports. After planning and delays tied to staffing, the vendor requested a May 1 start for the 90‑day program. County staff said the program’s success depends on recruitment and on other counties sending youth to the service; they do not expect Riverbend to reach full bed capacity immediately and plan to evaluate outcomes and utilization over the next 90 days.

Committee members discussed possible alternatives if the 90‑day assessment center fails to increase utilization, including issuing an RFP for shelter‑only services and closing or selling the existing 14‑bed facility and investing instead in smaller group homes or leased properties that match shelter licensing and cost structures. Staff said such shifts would require careful planning, licensing and community partner coordination to avoid leaving gaps in overnight placement capacity during transitions.

Staff also discussed safety and incident reporting: Riverbend trains staff in verbal de‑escalation and approved holds but reported a year‑to‑year spike in law enforcement responses in 2022 tied to a cohort of youth with higher needs and to newer staff less experienced in crisis management. The facility files statutory serious‑incident reports to the Department of Children and Families for events such as suicide attempts, suspected abuse, serious injuries, medication errors and law‑enforcement incidents.

County staff said Riverbend remains an important local resource because out‑of‑county placements displace youth from their schools and families and create transportation and court‑appearance burdens. The committee asked for a progress update at the next full meeting and a fuller report after the 90‑day pilot period.