Cuts close center for runaways
Published 9:21 pm Sunday, June 28, 2009
EVERETT — An Everett crisis center for at-risk youth will close its doors Tuesday indefinitely.
The Secure Crisis Residential Center at Denney Juvenile Justice Center was unable to survive sweeping cuts to the state budget. The center stopped taking kids last week, said Craig Daly, assistant administrator for Snohomish County Superior Court.
“We put up a good battle. We just can’t stay open,” Daly said. “Hopefully if times get better, we’ll be back in business.”
The center was funded by the state Department of Social and Health Service. The governor called for eliminating the Everett center and eight others around the state to save $9.3 million as part of the plan to shrink a $9 billion state deficit.
Legislators found about $2 million to keep 45 beds open for at-risk youth.
Snohomish County was offered about $338,000 to run a reduced program but was unable to make the numbers work, Daly said.
It cost about $670,000 a year to run the Everett facility’s nine-bed program, which must be staffed around the clock.
The center needs about $425,000 to keep four beds open, he said. The county can’t subsidize the state program, Daly said.
The centers were chosen for elimination in part because they generally are not filled to capacity, according to officials with DSHS.
Last year the Everett center served about 500 kids. On average it was only about a quarter full.
The secure centers were created to help keep kids off the streets and connect them with social services. Police officers were able to bring reported runaways to the centers. The kids, ages 12 to 17, were held for up to five days.
During that time they met with state social workers, counselors and family mediators to help them get the resources they needed, including drug and alcohol counseling or mental health services.
Cedar House in Everett, formerly known as Evergreen House, will stay open. The center has six beds for at-risk youth. Unlike the secure crisis center at Denney, kids can chose to leave Cedar House.
Cocoon House also offers emergency shelters for homeless and at-risk teens around the county.
Diana Hefley: 425-339-3463, hefley@heraldnet.com.
