Agency: Juvenile Justice Services

Function

The Division of Juvenile Justice Services (DJJS) serves youth offenders with a comprehensive array of programs, including home detention, secure detention, case management, community services, observation and assessment, long-term secure facilities, transition, and youth parole. Juvenile Justice Services is a division within the Department of Human Services but has been assigned to the Executive Offices and Criminal Justice Appropriations Subcommittee for Legislative oversight. Prior to FY 2004, it was known as the Division of Youth Corrections.

DJJS is responsible for all youth offenders committed by the state's Juvenile Court for secure confinement or supervision and treatment in the community. DJJS also operates receiving centers and youth services centers for non-custodial and/or non-adjudicated youth, as well as shelter beds for children removed from their home due to suspected abuse and neglect.

Programs within the Division of Juvenile Justice Services include:

1. Administration
2. Early Intervention Services
3. Community Programs
4. Correctional Facilities
5. Rural Programs
6. Youth Parole Authority, the DJJS equivalent to the Board of Pardons and Parole

Program collaboration and interface within DJJS is essential for providing successful juvenile services.

Caseload trends The percent of Utah youth involved in the juvenile justice system has remained relatively steady at 38% of the overall youth at risk population (juveniles 10 to 17 years old) since 2002. This figure of 38% represents a 13% increase in the actual numbers of youths involved in the justice system during that time frame, from 115,281 youth in 2002 to 133,130 youths in 2009.

Despite the overall increase in numbers, DJJS has not seen a corresponding increase in youths served. Explanation for this discrepancy is due to many factors. First, the number of youths referred to the juvenile justice system for delinquency declined by 21% from FY 2008 to FY 2011. Secondly, the Juvenile Court and DJJS utilize an actuarial and validated risk-assessment tool to aid in determining a youth's risk to re-offend and their criminogenic needs. Interventions are then applied in a more targeted manner, using evidence-based programs and practices. Youth who score low-risk on the assessment are often given diversion options. Third, DJJS has been aggressive in managing its resources and reducing lengths of stay when appropriate.

Background

The federal government continues to examine and redefine Medicaid eligibility. In 2008, new requirements prohibited Medicaid reimbursement for services delivered in facilities that exceeded 16 beds, eliminating many previously eligible DJJS treatment providers. Services were also unbundled and only direct treatment services could be billed, leaving DJJS and providers to cover other costs such as the care and feeding of youths.

DJJS rebid all private provider contracts and has worked with providers to control costs. As a result, the allowable daily rate paid to providers was stripped of any extraneous items that did not qualify for Medicaid reimbursement. The effect was an average reduction of 25% in the daily rate for community care programs from $125 to just under $100 per day.

Statutory Authority

The authority and responsibilities of the Division of Juvenile Justice Services are enumerated in the Utah Code Annotated 62A-7 et al.

• UCA 62A-7-102 creates the division and assigns the youth committed to it pursuant to Section 78A-6-117;
• UCA 62A-7-104 outlines the responsibilities of the division

Intent Language

All General Funds appropriated to the Programs and Operations line item are contingent upon expenditures from Federal Funds - American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (H.R. 1, 111th United States Congress) not exceeding amounts appropriated from Federal Funds - American Recovery and Reinvestment Act in all appropriation bills passed for FY 2011. If expenditures in the Programs and Operations line item from Federal Funds - American Recovery and Reinvestment Act exceed amounts appropriated to the Programs and Operations line item from Federal Funds - American Recovery and Reinvestment Act in FY 2011, the Division of Finance shall reduce the General Fund allocations to the Programs and Operations line item by one dollar for every one dollar in Federal Funds - American Recovery and Reinvestment Act expenditures that exceed Federal Funds - American Recovery and Reinvestment Act appropriations.

Performance

The Office of the Legislative Fiscal Analyst completed an in-depth budget review of the Department of Human Services in November, 2010. As part of that review, a five year history of each agency's output and outcome measures was documented on pages 65 through 74 of Appendix 3 of the report. Intent language requires DJJS to report its progress with the measures found on page 74 in the 2012 general session.

Funding Detail

The primary source of funding is state General Fund. A second significant source of revenue has been federal Medicaid funding. DJJS funding also includes other sources of federal funds, revenue transfers, and dedicated credits.