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DCF says Raise the Age implementation is not ready for April 1 as lawmakers press zoning and facility timeline
Summary
Deputy Commissioner Erica Radke told the oversight committee the department is not positioned to support the final phase of Raise the Age implementation on April 1, citing workforce and system gaps; legislators pressed for case counts, a prioritized critical path, and clarified permitting and zoning timelines for the proposed Green Mountain Youth Campus in Vergennes.
Department of Children and Families officials told the Joint Legislative Justice Oversight Committee they are still preparing for the next phase of Raise the Age and that key pieces remain incomplete ahead of the statutory April 1 implementation date.
"The department really isn't, in in a position right now to support the final phase of implementation as of April 1," Deputy Commissioner Erica Radke said in response to committee questions about readiness. Radke and DCF staff said the department filed its most recent Raise the Age progress report on Nov. 30 and noted program-level developments such as the Red Clover Treatment Program gaining capacity for three residents (two currently admitted). She said DCF has been meeting with stakeholders about the proposed permanent facility and is addressing zoning and permitting questions with Buildings & General Services and town officials.
Adolescent Services Director Lindy Boudreau said she has asked the judiciary for updated data on the number of pending cases that would transfer to family division on April 1; she told the committee that the courts provided updated case information to inform planning and that those data would appear in the next report. Boudreau cautioned that DCF must understand the population and charges it will inherit before finalizing placement and staffing decisions.
Officials from Buildings & General Services told the committee that schematic design is complete but that permitting cannot begin until Vergennes resolves zoning questions; project manager Billy Parish estimated about eight months of permitting after a zoning decision, a delay that would push the construction timeline further into 2026 at the earliest. Parish said the design team has created versions of the schematic both with and without space allocated for older youth so the state can respond to final policy decisions.
Legislators repeatedly pressed for a prioritized critical path: which pieces are essential to open in April (staffing, treatment programs, data, IT systems) and which can proceed after the statutory date. Committee members also suggested considering separate locations or phased scope to avoid "too many eggs in one basket" while preserving the ability to expand later.
What’s next: DCF will continue to gather judiciary case counts and provide scheduled updates. The committee signaled it will revisit the juvenile facility specifics and Raise the Age readiness during early‑session oversight, and encouraged stronger coordination among DCF, BGS and legislative committees to align programming, building design and community negotiations.
