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Howard County raises juvenile secured-detention per diem to $175 a day
Summary
Commissioners approved increasing the county secured juvenile detention per-diem rate from $147 to $175 to align with statewide rates; county staff said facility capacity is 26 and typical daily census ranges from about 8 to 14–15.
Howard County commissioners voted to raise the secured juvenile detention per-diem rate from $147 to $175 per day.
Kinsey Michelle requested the increase and told the board she had discussed the change with Judge Murray, who supported it. Michelle said the county’s new $175 rate places the facility within a common statewide range she found during research (roughly $157 to $185 per day), noting one privately owned outlier reported near $300 per day.
Michelle provided operational context: daily census varies from about eight to, at times, 14–15 youths depending on court processes, and the facility’s capacity is 26. She also said the detention center receives youth from neighboring counties when they meet the county’s intake criteria.
A commissioner who has experience in the field said the increase was appropriate; the motion to increase the per diem to $175 carried by voice vote.
Why it matters: Raising the per-diem affects the county budget for juveniles placed in secured detention and the rate charged to other counties when their youth are housed in Howard County. Commissioners were told the change keeps the county within the typical statewide range and reflects staffing and operational costs.
What’s next: The new rate will be used in billing and budgeting for the detention facility; staff did not specify an effective date beyond the board’s approval.
