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Lawrence County board discusses juvenile housing outreach, county contracts and revenue
Summary
Board members reviewed juvenile housing outreach across approximately 20 target counties, reported multiple existing contracts and discussed a plan for the deputy warden (retiring) to present on the county program at a July 20 commissioners meeting; juvenile-related revenue figures were also reported but context for the numbers was ambiguous.
Board members at the June 17 meeting described ongoing outreach to counties in the region to secure or maintain juvenile housing contracts and reviewed recent revenue figures tied to juvenile placements.
Officials said roughly 20 counties were in the target area for the county's juvenile housing program. Four counties were reported as currently sending juveniles under active contracts; several other counties have contracts on file but have not actively sent juveniles recently. The counties named in the transcript included Crawford, Mercer, Beaver, Washington, Somerset, Indiana, Forest, Warren, Venango, Clarion, Butler, Armstrong, and others; staff said some listings were historic and the status varies by county.
The board discussed outreach to the remaining counties and agreed it would be appropriate for the deputy warden — who is retiring — to speak on behalf of Lawrence County at the Northwest Pennsylvania County Commissioners Association meeting scheduled for July 20 at the Scottish Rite Cathedral to explain the juvenile program and contracting process. A county commissioner on the record said the county will reserve a speaking slot and welcomed the deputy warden's participation.
Revenue for juvenile placements was mentioned: a figure of $699,600 was referenced and collections of roughly $617,000 were reported. The transcript included an internal clarification that those figures did not yet reflect June collections; staff indicated June collections would be recorded later (May/June timing in the transcript is ambiguous). The board did not adopt a new contract in the public portion of the meeting; discussion focused on outreach and information-sharing with neighboring counties to increase participation in the juvenile housing program.
Next steps discussed included continued outreach to counties without active placements and preparing presentation materials for the July 20 meeting so commissioners from surrounding counties understand the program and contracting steps.
The deputy warden’s planned presentation is intended as information only and, according to a board member, the deputy warden said she would not request payment for the presentation and only wished to present on behalf of the county.
The board did not take further public action on contracts during the meeting.
