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Supervisors flag juvenile detention per-diem discrepancies and EMS coordination as budget pressures
Summary
Supervisors discussed juvenile detention billing and regional EMS arrangements, citing a 2025 total charges figure and questioning why federal/nonmember per‑diem rates differ from member-county rates; conversation highlighted transportation and placement disruptions for children and budget impacts.
At the Nov. 18 meeting, Crawford County supervisors raised concerns about regional juvenile detention billing and emergency medical services coordination as ongoing budget pressure points.
One supervisor summarized year-to-date figures for the regional juvenile detention provider, stating, "total charges ... for the year ended 06/30/2025 were $383,970," and noted billing differences: "The member counties were billed $1.75 per diem for juvenile detention services, provided compared to $250 per diem for non member counties and $100 per diem for the federal government." The supervisor questioned why federal and nonmember rates appeared lower than member rates; another supervisor explained the lower federal rate was "a negotiated deal" used only when facilities have empty beds.
Supervisors also described operational consequences: moving children between facilities for cost or capacity reasons increases transportation and family disruption, and supervisors emphasized the system-wide cost and human impacts. In related budget discussion, supervisors cited recent county disbursements to the regional provider, with amounts referenced in the meeting record for October and November (one exchange cites "$9,068" for October and "4,000" for November in the transcript).
The board discussed potential oversight improvements, including increased sampling of claims and tighter segregation of duties in payment processing to reduce errors and unexpected charges. No formal motions or roll-call votes on juvenile detention or EMS funding are recorded in the transcript.
