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Juvenile detention official says county has used most of its allotted bed days this year
Summary
A North Central Juvenile Detention Center presenter told Dickinson County commissioners the county is allotted 354 bed-days annually and has used about 274 so far this year; regional bed shortages and higher staff and security costs were cited as drivers of budget pressure.
A representative of the North Central Juvenile Detention Center briefed the Dickinson County Commission on bed usage and costs tied to the county’s interlocal detention contract.
The presenter said Dickinson County is allotted 354 bed-days per year under the interlocal agreement; the county had used about 274 bed-days so far in the reporting period. The presenter said many Kansas detention facilities are at or near capacity, and the center sometimes must pay other facilities for housing if it cannot accommodate a juvenile.
On budget drivers, the presenter said payroll and health-insurance costs are rising and that the center had increased capital spending on security work, including replacing two security doors whose frames were failing. The presenter also said food-service costs vary with population but have been relatively consistent historically.
"We are full," the presenter told commissioners, describing statewide capacity constraints; the presenter added that the facility has pulled out outsourcing and electronic monitoring to track those expenses separately in the current year. Commissioners asked for follow-up documentation and asked staff to watch for impacts on county invoicing and interlocal charges.
The commission did not vote on changes to the interlocal agreement; the item served as a presentation and budget update.
