Admissions restart, crowding persists at WA juvenile detention facilities
Two state juvenile detention facilities in Washington are once again admitting youth sentenced for crimes, after a pause that began last month.
The Department of Children, Youth, and Families said Friday it had reached an agreement with counties ending the freeze on admissions, which the agency said was a necessary safety measure due to overcrowding. The Washington Association of Counties sued in response to the pause.
Intakes at the Echo Glen Childrens Center in Snoqualmie resumed a few weeks ago, according to the department and restarted Friday at the Green Hill School in Chehalis.
The settlement represents a good faith effort to work with partners on a long-term resolution to the overcrowding at Green Hill School, said Nancy Gutierrez, a spokesperson for the Department of Children, Youth, and Families. The safety risks remain, and DCYF continues to take steps to ensure the safety of the staff and the young people at the school.
https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2024/08/09/admissions-restart-crowding-persists-at-wa-juvenile-detention-facilities/