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Emergency Planning for Juvenile Justice Detention Alternatives

Award Information

Award #
2016-EJ-FX-0003
Location
Awardee County
Minnehaha
Status
Closed
Funding First Awarded
2016
Total funding (to date)
$150,000

Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2016, $150,000)

The FY 2016 Juvenile Justice Emergency Planning Demonstration Program provides resources for state, tribal, local, municipal, and community organizations to develop, strengthen, and implement emergency preparedness plans for juvenile justice facilities.

Lutheran Social Services of South Dakota (LSSSD) is a private, nonprofit human services agency that has collaborated with the South Dakota Department of Corrections for more than 10 years to develop an array of juvenile detention alternatives. As of 2013, the latest comparison data available, South Dakota had a larger proportion of youth residing in juvenile justice facilities than any other state in the nation.

This proposal focuses on enhancing emergency planning in four LSSSD residential facilities in Sioux Falls, Rapid City, Spearfish, and Aberdeen. They serve youth ages 10 up to their 18th birthdays who have a range of juvenile justice statuses. Key partners are the state Department of Corrections, Minnehaha County (Sioux Falls area), and Pennington County (Rapid City area).

The goal of the project is to ensure the safety of the 96 youth in the agency's care each day through developing and implementing a comprehensive emergency preparedness plan that incorporates recommendations from OJJDP’s Emergency Planning for Juvenile Justice Residential Facilities. Project objectives are to:

1. Expand and update existing emergency plans, including enhanced training for staff and youth.
2. Develop policies for updating plans regularly.
3. Document emergency evacuation site agreements in writing.
4. Install an emergency generator at the Center for Children & Youth in Sioux Falls to safeguard against the state's most common emergency, extended power outages due to weather.
5. Ensure continuity of key data and communication services for all four facilities by moving the LSSSD agency servers to the Center for Children & Youth, where they will have generator support in case of an extended power outage.

Expected outcomes include:

1. Facility emergency plans will be updated, complete, and comply with OJJDP recommendations.
2. Youth and staff will have a better understanding of emergency preparedness procedures.
3. Power, data, and communications will not be affected by weather emergencies.

CA/NCF

Date Created: September 14, 2016