Under the corrections omnibus motion (motion #670), Youth Aids was restored to its current law amount of $100,790,200. The Governor had recommended a 1% and then 5% cut to the Youth Aids allocation, for a total cut of$5.9 million. The Motion creates a FED appropriation for the $5.9 million for this biennium, and returning the funding to the $100.8 million level.
The juvenile corrections daily rate was kept at the Governor’s recommended level of $270 per day in 2009-2010, and then $275 in 2010 – 2011. Joint Finance revised downward their estimate down of the number of juveniles who would be in institutions, from 605 in 2009 and 610 in 2010 to 587 annually. Typically a projected reduction in population would lead to a greater daily rate, but instead Division of Juvenile Corrections funding was reduced by $1.8 M in 2009-2010 and $2.3 M in 2010-2011 to reflect lower levels of salaries and fringe benefits for vacant positions and reduced population-related costs.
Finally, the motion directs DOA and DOC and any other relevant state agencies to conduct a “comprehensive review of juvenile corrections funding and services.” Also included in the review are: an inventory of all the juvenile correctional services provided by counties and nonprofits and a description of mental health and AODA services available at the JCIs and Mendota. The review must include the participation of youth counselors from the institutions, and is due to Joint Finance by January 4, 2010.
