Rep. Sweeney Announces $130M for Two New Youth Rehabilitation Facilities in Northeast Ohio

COLUMBUS - State Rep. Bride Rose Sweeney (D-Westlake) today announced that the Ohio Controlling Board approved $130M in capital funds for the purpose of constructing two new youth rehabilitation facilities in Northeast Ohio. The facilities, located in Bedford and Grafton, will replace the aging Cuyahoga Hills Juvenile Correctional Facility in Highland Hills.

Juvenile correctional facilities in Ohio, including Cuyahoga Hills, have experienced persistent issues with understaffing and violence threatening the safety of residents and staff in recent years. The new facilities address safety and staffing concerns by replacing Cuyahoga Hill's open-door layout, which can house up to 24 youth per room, with smaller rooms that house at most 12 residents and will be easier for staff to manage.

"Changes to Ohio's youth correctional facilities are long overdue. These smaller facilities will protect both staff and residents," said Rep. Sweeney. "I will continue to push the state to follow evidence-based strategies for preventing violence and protecting staff in youth rehabilitation facilities."

The Cuyahoga Hills Facility Replacement Project is a part of a larger initiative by the state to replace large youth rehabilitation facilities with multiple smaller facilities across the state. These changes will bring Ohio's youth rehabilitation facilities more in line with current best practices for juvenile corrections facilities. Smaller facilities in more areas of the state will allow youth to be closer to home, mitigate violence in facilities, and address safety concerns for staff and residents.

Other approved items include:

• $5.7M for replacement of the heating and cooling systems at Cuyahoga Community College;
• $5M for the Ohio EPA to assess and remove waste from the Master Chrome Services facility in Cleveland, Ohio; and
• $592K to study the use and regulation of automated vehicles and Automated driving systems (ADS) in Ohio.