Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Community Corrections topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Community Corrections outlines program expansion, grant outlook and new supervision tools
Summary
Community corrections director Catherine Sparks reported approved KDOC workbooks, funding amendments to support sober-living placements and juvenile services, new voluntary case management and Repath app pilot for supervision, and acceptance into a crossover youth practice model.
Catherine Sparks, Atchison County community corrections director, presented the quarterly update for July–September 2025 and outlined program and grant activity.
Sparks told commissioners the county’s KDOC workbooks were approved although the county continues to investigate a $5 liability discrepancy related to payroll and benefits reporting. Two budget amendments already signed moved non-admin salary benefits between line items and funded a one-week sober-living placement for an adult; on the juvenile side, on-call pay was moved to salary and funding was shifted to support additional academic services.
Sparks described program expansions: walk-in intake (free to families), a voluntary case-management grant awarded in July that is now serving youth who score a 2 on the MAISY risk assessment, and acceptance into the crossover youth practice (one of six counties). She said the office is piloting Repath, a smartphone-based supervision and communication tool that can provide appointment reminders and location check-ins depending on a client’s supervision level, and noted JCAB will discuss Repath on Nov. 20.
Sparks also summarized caseload figures and service levels: she reported increases in clientele, 11 youth on intent supervision for quarter one, and about 108 clients assigned with 37 active on a recent report. She flagged uncertainty in the state’s evidence-based funding formula timetable (SB 367) and noted possible funding shifts at the state level could change program longevity. Sparks invited commissioners to a Dec. 16 meeting with Representative Rivas to discuss local needs.
Commissioners asked clarifying questions about eligibility, costs and outreach; Sparks said walk-in intake is part of intake services and is free to families.
