DEPARTMENT: Community Corrections
FILE TYPE: Regular Information
TITLE
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Update On Juvenile Services Center Safety Based Separation
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PURPOSE/ACTION REQUESTED
Receive an update on Safety Based Separation (SBS) in the Juvenile Services Center.
SUMMARY
Effective January 1, 2024, all Minnesota juvenile detention facilities were required to move from isolation as a form of discipline (Disciplinary Room Time, DRT) to the use of a SBS model. Dakota County Juvenile Services Center (JSC) administration were leaders in the development of using SBS only when a youth’s safety and the safety of staff or others is threatened.
In Minnesota, the SBS model is a critical component of the state's mental health and safety regulations. Staff is seeing more youth with significant mental health needs in the JSC and other juvenile detention facilities and staff is tasked with implementing safe and effective interventions while minimizing use of room time. SBS is designed to ensure the safety of residents, other residents, and/or facility staff by separating individuals from peers in a locked or unlocked room. The use of SBS is initiated when staff cannot address a resident's behavior with less-restrictive interventions.
There are state licensing requirements regarding review of SBS, notifications for using SBS, necessary approvals for use of SBS, and reporting quarterly and yearly use of SBS to the MN Department of Corrections. The SBS is intended to prevent potential harm and ensure the safety of all individuals in the facility. There are three different types of SBS: 1) Safety Stabilization Period (SSP), 2) Administrative Separation, and 3) Medical Separation. SSP is the most used form of SBS.
Staff will update the County Board on the progress under the new laws, including the development of Safety Based Stabilization Officers in the JSC.
OUTCOMES
How Much: The JSC is averaging three and a half hours per incident of SSP, compared to the 2023 average for DRT of 13 hours per incident and the 2020 average of 23 hours per incident.
How Many: The average daily population of the JSC is 21 and serves primarily Dakota County youth and some out of county youth.
Who Is Better Off: All youth served at the JSC now fall under the new SBS rules. All youth can only be locked in a room when they are determined to be unsafe.
RECOMMENDATION
recommendation
Information only; no action requested.
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EXPLANATION OF FISCAL/FTE IMPACTS
☒ None ☐ Current budget ☐ Other
☐ Amendment Requested ☐ New FTE(s) requested
RESOLUTION
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Information only, no action requested.
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PREVIOUS BOARD ACTION
None.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment: Presentation Slides
BOARD GOALS
☐ Thriving People ☐ A Healthy Environment with Quality Natural Resources
☐ A Successful Place for Business and Jobs ☒ Excellence in Public Service
CONTACTS
Department Head: Suwana Kirkland
Author: Danielle McNamara