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Hudson County commissioners press for oversight as juvenile detention per‑diems rise to $565 a day
Summary
Commissioners questioned rising per‑diem costs for Hudson County youth held in out‑of‑county juvenile detention centers and pressed staff for evidence on the education provided. County officials said the base rate rose to $424 and, with medical and education charges, reaches $565; staff provided current census figures and pledged curriculum and dashboard details before the next meeting.
Hudson County commissioners questioned County staff on Dec. 9 about rising costs and oversight for youth housed in out‑of‑county juvenile detention centers, pressing officials to produce curriculum details and daily census reports before the board's next public meeting.
Commissioner William O'Dea told the caucus the county must ensure that higher per‑diem payments buy constitutionally required education and services, saying, "The education they provide there is horrible," and adding he planned to pursue the issue further, including a meeting Friday that could lead to legal action if education standards are not met.
County Administrator Abraham Antun told commissioners the county currently pays only for actual daily use and that Essex County and other receiving counties no longer operate under set guaranteed bed contracts. "If we send juveniles there, that's the rate, and there's no minimum or anything," Antun said, describing the change as the sending county paying per actual placement rather than a guaranteed block of beds.
Officials shared the financial detail under discussion: staff said the base per‑diem had been updated from roughly $325 to $424 and that, when medical and the education add‑ons are included, the total per‑diem rises to about $565. The education component cited in discussion was $58.49 per day.
Directors also provided placement counts for commissioners: Director Darice Toon reported 10 young people in Essex County, three in Morris County and two in Bergen County on the day of the caucus, and said counts fluctuate daily. Chairman Anthony Romano and other commissioners asked staff to supply the written curricula used at each out‑of‑county facility and the weekly dashboard that the County receives for board review.
Antun said the county will seek any available state reimbursement for per‑diems that exceed $500 per day, a state option the county plans to pursue for the 2026 budget year. Commissioners asked staff to provide additional details on how the county monitors educational delivery and outcomes so the board can evaluate whether the higher per‑diem is producing required services.
The caucus did not record a final vote on the resolution to continue placements in use; the item was advanced for the formal agenda with sponsors recorded for later action. The county committed to providing curricula and weekly placement reports before the next scheduled public meeting.
