Washington juvenile centers halt intakes at 2 locations due to overcrowding

OLYMPIA, Wash. — The Washington State Department of Children, Youth & Families (DCYF) decided to suspend intakes at two juvenile rehabilitation facilities due to overcrowding.

Echo Glen Children’s Center in Snoqualmie and Green Hill School in Chehalis suspended new intakes on July 5. Secretary Ross Hunter with the DCYF notified juvenile, adult, and tribal courts across the state of the decision to suspend intakes.

"When too many young people are concentrated in small spaces it can escalate behaviors and limit the ability for therapeutic rehabilitation,” explained Hunter. "This was not sustainable. Our facilities must be safe, therapeutic, and functional."

In a press release, DCYF reassured the public that this action does not mean juvenile offenders will be released, but instead of entering a juvenile rehabilitation facility, they will remain in a county facility until the population numbers inside the juvenile rehabilitation facilities drop.

DCYF said they have been addressing the overcrowding concerns by using community facilities and Community Transition Services. They said both options involve transferring eligible young people to a minimum-security option.

Staffing concerns have also been addressed, according to DCYF, who said they have deployed contracted security staff to both secure facilities and additional headquarters staff to Green Hill to add trained staff to the living units to support young people and maintain programming.

The suspension will not be lifted until the population levels in the juvenile rehabilitation facilities are sustainable which could take months based on DCYF’s current projections. The DCYF said it will maintain a waitlist during this suspension to prioritize and manage intakes once the suspension is lifted.