Committee hears youth justice presentation as out-of-home placement costs shift

Sawyer County Health and Human Services committee members heard written reports and a presentation on youth justice and child-protective services during their July 9 meeting.

Why it matters: Changes in placement patterns affect the county's budget and service planning. County officials said targeted efforts in 2023 helped lower out-of-home costs for children in CPS, but Youth Justice placements have increased in 2024 and are costing more than projected because juveniles entering the system require more restrictive placements.

Julia Lyons, Director of Sawyer County Health and Human Services, and Agency official Andy Albarado emphasized that 2023 work focused on moving children to less-restrictive, home-like settings and permanent placements when possible; they noted CPS out-of-home expenses have fallen compared with the prior year. By contrast, the Youth Justice program required a budget increase for 2024 because placements for juveniles rose beyond projections and the juveniles have presented at higher risk levels, producing higher placement costs this year.

Sarah Inczauskis provided the Youth Justice presentation, describing outreach such as a police-officer luncheon intended to bridge gaps and build relationships between at-risk youth and law enforcement; officers shared day-to-day responsibilities and discussed strategies for working with youth.

Next steps: Staff will continue monitoring placement trends and costs and report updates at future meetings. The committee recorded the written CPS and Youth Justice reports in the packet.

Provenance: Topic supported by written reports and the youth justice presentation (topic introduction SEG 003; topic finish SEG 004).