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County diversion coordinator says program saved kids and needs grant‑backed budget increase
Summary
The county youth‑diversion coordinator presented FY27 budget materials showing a 91% success rate for eligible participants and an anticipated $48,800 state grant; the coordinator said the proposal would shift most program costs to dedicated revenues and grants rather than the general fund.
Jennifer, Van Zandt County’s youth‑diversion coordinator, walked commissioners through the program’s FY27 budget, operations and outcomes, saying the program completed its first full year with a 91% success rate for eligible referrals and that new grant funds would substantially reduce the county share of costs.
Jennifer said the program saw 110 eligible referrals over the reporting year and typically manages cases for 90–180 days. She described intake as a 45‑ to 60‑minute assessment to screen for eligibility, family needs and co‑occurring mental‑health problems. "We are changing lives," Jennifer said, citing an example of a youth who moved from juvenile probation to an enlistment and top‑secret clearance.
On finance, Jennifer said an anticipated FY27 state grant of roughly $48,800 (submitted via the East Texas Council of Governments) plus municipal contributions and dedicated local consolidated court cost (LCCCC) revenues would fund the proposed $76,456 program budget. She told the court that under the proposed budget, the county’s contribution would fall to roughly $9,000–$13,000, funded from dedicated diversion revenues rather than the county general fund.
Commissioners probed how sure the grant and municipal contributions were; Jennifer said the grant administrator had indicated the award amount but municipal contributions were contingent on city budgets. She also explained that Texas statute dedicates a portion of local consolidated court costs (a $5 portion of a $14 fee) to youth diversion and that those revenues have trended up since the LCCCC change in 2020.
On operations, Jennifer said countywide coordination (one diversion coordinator for the four JP courts) prevents participants from being re‑referred in different jurisdictions and improves tracking; judges may extend diversion for cause up to the one‑year statutory maximum. She recommended continued investment in outreach and school partnerships and asked the court to consider personnel reclassification for related clerk roles to align with county administrative titles.
No vote was taken. Commissioners asked clarifying questions about sustainability, municipal commitments and personnel classification and asked staff to present final options to fit the county’s FY27 budget framework.
Why it matters: Youth diversion programs replace low‑level juvenile court processing with treatment, accountability and services; local funding, grant awards and municipal participation determine program scale and stability.
Next steps: County staff will confirm grant award language and municipal commitments and return with a final FY27 spending recommendation for the court to act on in the budget process.
