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Juvenile court presses for program renewals and earlier CIP for deteriorating courthouse
Summary
Juvenile court and its clerk asked Shelby County commissioners to renew evidence-based family stabilization programs and move a renovation CIP earlier because of mold, asbestos, water intrusion and elevator failures affecting court operations.
Judge Tarek Sugarman and Karen Folsom, chief administrator for juvenile court, told commissioners the court has shifted to a trauma-informed family stabilization model and relies on community partners to deliver services that reduce system involvement.
"We shifted from a reactive intervention to a proactive family stabilization court," Judge Sugarman said, describing program goals of prevention and rehabilitation. Folsom said juvenile court handles over 40,000 cases and highlighted large volumes of child support petitions (7,619) and delinquency referrals driven by family instability. She urged commissioners to restore operating dollars to continue programs the commission previously funded, saying some programs show strong completion and education outcomes.
Court officials also described public-health risks at the courthouse. Judge Sugarman (and the clerk's office) asked that the capital improvement project be moved from FY2028 to FY2027, citing mold, asbestos, water intrusion with at least two feet of water in elevator shafts, failing plumbing and elevator failures that pose immediate health and safety risks to staff and families.
Commissioners asked for clarification on whether the request is to move the entire CIP schedule forward; juvenile court representatives said they sought to advance the program to address ongoing deterioration and secure temporary space while renovations proceed.
