INSIDE LOOK: Douglas County Youth and Family Support Center sits empty

Over a year after it was built and ready it’s still empty, we went inside the Youth and Family Support Center downtown, a facility that will continue to sit empty as conversations about its future use begin again.

• This facility has 64 beds, but right now the number of juveniles in the current Douglas County Youth Center is in the 80's and 90's.
• Over the last year, the move to the new facility has continued to stall due to space and money.
• At full capacity, this new facility needs 152 staff.
• The board is also analyzing the most recent legislation in Lincoln and considering options already discussed but new ideas too.

BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Classrooms, intake, holding, a rec area, and even a workout room are built and ready for juveniles going through the justice system.

This facility has 64 beds, but right now the number of juveniles in the current Douglas County Youth Center is in the 80's and 90's.

"1/3 of those currently detained in the youth detention center are being charged on adult charges, or felony level charges," said Roger Garcia, chair of Douglas County Commissioners.

Over the last year, the move to the new facility has continued to stall due to space and money.

In October of 2023, the Board of Commissioners discussed running both facilities.

"So we would put to utilization this facility downtown but keep the larger facility open as well to ensure we have enough capacity but also put the new facility to utilization and run two facilities for the foreseeable future while the numbers remained as they are," Garcia said.

The concern with that is the cost.

"Running a second facility is anywhere between $4.5 to $7 million dollars," Garcia said.

$4.5 million if the new facility is only partially open with one unit or an estimated $7 million if open at full capacity.

"That is an estimate, that is a range that we are at, at this moment. Of course, there are different aspects that go into starting up a new facility, with recruitment, training," Garcia said.

At full capacity, this new facility needs 152 staff.

The board is also analyzing the most recent legislation in Lincoln and considering options already discussed but new ideas too.

"Having those difficult conversations about where can we build consensus to move forward as a county and what will be best for our youth and families in Douglas County," Garcia said.

The board will reconvene to have conversations about this but the timeline for opening is not set.