Ohio Department of Youth Services Selects Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court to Establish its First Community Correctional Facility

COLUMBUS, OH - The Ohio Department of Youth Services (DYS) announced today that it will award approximately $30 million to Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court to establish its first secure community correctional facility (CCF).

Specifically for certain youth adjudicated of felony offenses, CCFs are smaller, local alternatives to placement in state DYS facilities that offer targeted and personalized treatment, care, and habilitation support.

The announcement comes after last year's Juvenile Justice Working Group, created by Governor DeWine, found that of the 11 DYS-funded CCFs in Ohio, none are located in the three counties that commit the most youth to DYS. Research shows that youth have better outcomes when they are placed closer to home.

The working group released a report of recommendations that proposed the Ohio General Assembly allot funding to DYS to establish CCFs in those three counties: Cuyahoga, Franklin, and Hamilton.

As part of the current capital budget, the Ohio General Assembly allotted approximately $30 million to fund the first of the three CCFs. DYS selected the Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court through a competitive application process.

"I sincerely want to thank all three counties for their applications, and the General Assembly for funding the first of these three community correctional facilities," said DYS Director Amy Ast. "With the selection of Cuyahoga, their vision of community stood out through and through. From involving stakeholders, community partners, and judicial support, their focus on community is what put their proposal over the finish line."

"We are thrilled to be selected by the State of Ohio for the new Community Corrections Facility (CCF)," said Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court Administrative Judge Thomas O'Malley. "A CCF in Cuyahoga County will allow us to provide treatment to youth that includes intensive involvement with their family and critical community supports. This would not have been possible without the unwavering support of our County and community partners. Cuyahoga County Administration, Members of Council and their staff, provided us with their expertise, insight and support. The innovative design and programming that will go into our CCF would not have been possible without the guidance of our dedicated community partners. We are excited to get started and grateful to the Ohio Department of Youth Services for their selection of Cuyahoga County."

This additional CCF will allow eligible justice-involved youth to stay closer to home to allow for more family involvement with their habilitation and provide better opportunities for reentry back into the community.

"Cuyahoga County has long needed local alternatives to juvenile correctional facilities-options that prioritize maintaining vital family, social, and community connections," said LaToya Logan, Founder/CEO of Project LIFT Services in Cuyahoga County. "These connections are key to reducing youth recidivism and promoting long-term safety and wellness. The Ohio Department of Youth Services' decision to fund a community correctional facility in our county reflects a visionary commitment to community safety and the power of partnership. I'm deeply grateful for this investment and the leadership of Director Ast, Asst. Director Trim, and the entire team, in making meaningful, community-centered change possible."

Some of the key highlights of Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court's strategy to involve the community to address violence and provide better youth diversion and intervention include:

• Involve an extensive network with grassroots organizations for support services;
• Community-centered habilitation;
• Credible messengers mentorship;
• Restorative justice practices with community partners;
• Community co-design of the facility;
• Comprehensive aftercare and reentry services;
• Extensive volunteer engagement; and
• Strong community support from public officials and organizations promoting partnerships.

The new CCF will be a secure, 32-bed facility serving male and female populations in separate housing units.
DYS plans to propose a request for funding to the General Assembly within the next capital budget for the second CCF to be built in either Franklin County or Hamilton County.

"Our plan is to move forward on fulfilling the Governor's recommendation to obtain funding and get CCFs also built in Franklin and Hamilton counties in the coming years," added Director Ast. "We want to sincerely thank the leadership teams of Franklin County and Hamilton County juvenile courts for their submissions and will continue our intentional work together to improve youth outcomes and have an impact on public safety."