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Regional juvenile-detention director warns counties leaving interlocal risk higher per-diem costs
Summary
Michael Walden, director of the Southeast Kansas Regional Juvenile Detention Center, briefed commissioners on the status of interlocal arrangements and warned that counties outside the interlocal may face higher per-diem costs for detention beds.
Michael Walden, director of the Southeast Kansas Regional Juvenile Detention Center in Girard, told the commissioners that Linn County left the facility's interlocal agreement at the end of 2024 and therefore no longer has a guaranteed bed or the interlocal equity invested in the facility.
Walden said the board that governs the center recommended charging counties that are not part of the interlocal three times the facility’s standard daily per-diem rate for detention beds. He said the current daily rate is $175, so the non‑interlocal per-diem would be $525.
"If you don't have something in place, it could potentially disqualify you from state funding and grants for community based services," Walden warned, referring to juvenile-services planning requirements under the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act. He said the detention center’s board is trying to work with counties that leave the interlocal but also noted that Lane County’s departure left about $300,000 in equity from that county in the facility.
Walden encouraged county officials to maintain contact and said his facility would try to accept Linn County youth if beds are available, but there are no guaranteed beds for non‑interlocal counties.
Ending: Walden offered the county open-door access to the facility and asked county officials to consider the potential programmatic and fiscal consequences of not participating in an interlocal for juvenile detention services.
