The Vel R. Phillips Juvenile Justice Center is one option for a new location of the SRCCCYs.
Discussion regarding the opening of a new juvenile prison facility in Milwaukee County is continuing slowly. The Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors decided Thursday to further investigate if the county has authority concerning where a new residential care center for youth could be located.
Milwaukee County, specifically the Department of Health and Human Services, has expressed interest in creating a facility which would give them control over the supervision of youth in correctional placements. The facilities, titled Secured Residential Care Centers for Children and Youth (SRCCCY), were created under Wisconsin Act 185—which closes the troubled Lincoln Hills facility, and orders the creation of new residential care centers for youth across the state.
The county referred a resolution to the corporation counsel, which serves as a chief legal counsel to the board, for further clarification during a meeting of the whole Thursday. The resolution would transfer up to $3 million in a tax levy surplus from the DHHS’ operating budget for the initial planning and design of an SRCCCY in Milwaukee County. The county board mainly wanted to discover if they would have the final say in the decision on the location of the facility.
“It’s such a terrific advantage to have our youth near where their families can have some type of contact with them,” said County Supervisor James Schmitt. “Because of all the publicity, this is not something that one person can do… this will have to be a joint effort.”
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The Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors discussed the possibility of a new residential care center for youth coming to Milwaukee Thursday.
Although the corporation counsel did not say when they would let the board know their decision, they did say they wanted to put their opinion in writing after looking into the details. The deadline for the county to prepare a proposal identifying the design and construction costs of an SRCCCY facility is March 31, 2019. The act created a Juvenile Corrections Grant Committee which will award a grant providing 95% of the design and construction costs to build an SRCCCY.
A report from the DHHS said there are several unknowns regarding the new facility such as the location, size and funding level. This is something that county supervisors wanted clarification on, even though the state building commission authorized $40 million to counties for the planning and construction of SRCCCY’s. “This is something that Racine, Kenosha and Milwaukee County should be looking into together, so we can carry the costs together,” said supervisor Schmitt.
Shepherd Express previously reported that the Vel R. Phillips Juvenile Justice Center could be a possibility for the future location of the facility. Supervisor Willie Johnson Jr. added that the county will look at retrofitting what’s available on the county grounds as well.
Mary Jo Meyers, the director of the Department of Health and Human Services, has been in close contact with the community regarding a location. The Division of Youth and Family Services has also assembled a steering committee to form recommendations regarding location and programming.
“This is an opportunity to have some programs that are smaller and more direct with some of our young people,” said Supervisor Supreme Moore Omokunde.
The Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors meets next on November 1.
