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Goodhue County debates converting empty jail pod to juvenile detention center amid statewide bed shortage
Summary
County presenters said juvenile beds are scarce after COVID closures, forcing long searches and out‑of‑area placements; staff outlined a possible 24‑bed JDC model, staffing and remodel requirements and asked commissioners whether to pursue deeper study and regional contracting; commissioners asked staff to return with cost, staffing and contract options.
Goodhue County staff presented a concept to repurpose an unused 60‑bed pod in the Adult Detention Center as a juvenile detention center (JDC), citing a statewide shortage of juvenile beds and repeated difficulties placing high‑risk youth.
Rhonda, a juvenile services presenter, described the regional context: counties once relied on block allocations and regional centers; many beds closed during and after the COVID‑era and nearby options have become limited. She said county juvenile agents now spend hours calling to find beds and sometimes send youth as far away as Houston County for eight‑day holds. Rhonda told commissioners that placements and referrals are delayed by a shortage of licensed psychological assessors and that timely on‑site assessment capacity would improve case routing and access to appropriate programming.
Staff outlined an operational model and regulatory constraints. They said DOC rules (referred to in the transcript as the '2,960 rules') affect capacity, staffing and program requirements: under DOC rules, facilities with 25 or more beds typically require additional nighttime staff; staff estimated daytime staffing ratios of one worker per 12 juveniles and noted the practical staffing minimums and administrative roles required by juvenile facility rules. The presentation included start‑up cost drivers (remodeling for visitation and programming, HVAC/plumbing work, doors and sight‑and‑sound separation, uniforms and equipment) and operational items (education contracts with home school districts, dietary and medical needs and potential mental‑health contracting).
Commissioners debated scale and risk. Staff said realistic Goodhue County utilization might be 4–6 juveniles at a time but that operating a 24‑bed facility raises questions about financial exposure if other counties do not contract for beds. Commissioners suggested exploring regional contracts, longer contract terms than one year, and comparing the cost of contracting with existing nearby providers (Houston, Dakota, Carver) versus local operation. They repeatedly emphasized transportation time and court logistics for distant placements and the importance of assessing liability if a county “bumps” Goodhue placements.
No formal vote was taken. Several commissioners signaled support for further study and asked staff to return with more detailed cost estimates, potential partner counties, contract terms and service‑level assumptions; staff suggested a follow‑up presentation in February.
Next steps: staff will research contracting options and pricing from nearby counties, refine remodel and staffing estimates, and return with a detailed recommendation; no final decision was made.
