Commissioners approve juvenile detention agreements but remove social‑history clause pending court guidance

The Jefferson County Board approved memoranda of agreement with regional juvenile-detention providers (Bonneville/3B and Banning/District 6) to ensure the county has placement options after the local 5C detention was closed. The agreements were approved conditionally: commissioners agreed to authorize county staff to sign the final documents only after sections requiring routine disclosure of juvenile social-history reports (section 2(d)) are clarified or deleted.

Tammy Atkins, probation director, told the board a January rule change restricts sharing social histories with third parties without court permission and said complying with the contract language would require her staff to seek court orders in every case. “I don't feel like we can be contracted to provide a document that is at the court's discretion,” Atkins said. Commissioners debated alternatives, including seeking a blanket court order or narrowing the contract language to request only specific safety-related information (e.g., criminal history and known medications) that probation can legally provide. The board directed staff and county counsel to work with partner counties, detention providers, and judges to resolve wording and gave the chair authority to sign once an acceptable version is agreed.

The agreements aim to ensure beds are available by the coming Sunday morning deadline; commissioners emphasized the county needs placements while it transitions away from the previous 5C arrangement. The board approved both memoranda by roll call with the social-history paragraph excluded pending negotiated language.