Bill to study 'reconfiguring' Long Creek youth facility stalls after debate over scope and membership
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Summary
Representative Brennan’s resolve would convene a DOC‑led working group to study repurposing (reconfiguring) Long Creek Youth Development Center, assess facility budgets and staffing, and recommend diversion and alternative uses. Committee debated membership, DHHS participation, deadlines and ensuring prior task‑force recommendations are reviewed; a motion on the amendment was recorded as 'ought not to pass' in committee roll call.
Representative Michael Brennan presented LD 1923, a resolve directing the Department of Corrections (DOC) — with Department of Health and Human Services participation — to convene a working group to study reconfiguring the Long Creek Youth Development Center, assess the facility’s land, operations, budget and staffing, and recommend alternative uses and diversion strategies.
Brennan said the aim is not to close Long Creek but to assess whether current capacity and programming match present needs. The proposed working group would examine how other states have repurposed juvenile facilities, explore alternative uses (crisis receiving centers, youth emergency shelters, assessment centers) and recommend how facility resources could be reinvested in community‑based services. He also proposed the working group review recommendations from a 2019 system assessment and identify which remain outstanding.
DOC officials said the department supported a study but asked for more time to complete a comprehensive assessment and proposed narrowing HHS participation to a specific behavioral‑health office while providing a DOC list of suggested working‑group members. Stakeholders urged including education and parental and youth voices. Jill Ward, co‑chair of the 2019 task force, recommended reviewing that task‑force report so the working group can build on earlier recommendations rather than replicate past work.
Representative Tavis Hassenfoss moved a package of amendments to adopt much of the DOC membership list, add a Department of Education representative and include both a parent and a youth voice; he also proposed substituting the term “reconfigure” for “repurpose” and aligning reporting deadlines with existing juvenile reporting schedules. A roll‑call vote recorded in committee made the motion outcome recorded as 'not to pass as amended' (committee roll call recorded the motion and the clerk noted the bill was held). Committee members also separated related LD 740 for a dedicated work session on youth diversion and community supervision.
Next steps: DOC to lead a convening of the working group per the agreed membership list where possible, include education and family representation, and return a report on the working group’s findings as scheduled; committee expressed preference that the working group review previous task‑force recommendations as a starting point.
