TJJD staff say Corsicana unit, two juvie halfway houses on chopping block

UPDATED/CORRECTED: This post was updated July 22 with information from a conversation with Jim Hurley from the Texas Juvenile Justice Department. He wanted Grits to iterate that the decision to close the Corsicana unit was being made directly in response to Rider 35 in the new state budget which prohibits the agency from expending money on more than five secure facilities after January 1st. Along with that mandate, they cut TJJD's budget by $23 million, he emphasized, so some unit had to close. Corsicana was chosen in part, he said, because the unit needs the most upkeep and  rehab. The board must forward its recommendation to the Legislative Budget Board by September 1st, so their final recommendation could be made either on July 26, as reported by The Corsicana Sun, or at the board's August meeting.

Updated Original Post: Grits recently received several emails from front-line employees at Texas Juvenile Justice Department facilities about pending closures at two halfway houses - the Beto House in McAllen and the Turman House in Austin and the Ayres House in San Antonio - and the mental health unit in Corsicana. There had already been an earlier report that the Corsicana facility would be shuttered by Jan. 1, 2014, but I hadn't seen news of halfway house closures reported before now. TJJD held a board meeting on July 15 where they discussed closing the Corsicana unit and the agency is reportedly scheduled to finalize the decision by the end of the week, on Friday, July 26. One of Grits' informants via email declared that, "Beto house is confirmed, Corsicana is supposed to be closed but we heard from Griffiths himself that people are protesting Corsicana's closure and it may not go through."

Employees were notified on Monday morning that Turman House in Austin would be closed. Jim Hurley said that decision was made because, with Travis County sending fewer kids to institutions, fewer kids are returning and thus the need for a halfway house diminished. Hurley seemed more sanguine than Grits readers that the board would stick by its recommendation to close Corsicana. He also confirmed the Beto House closure, pointing out there are two other TJJD halfway houses in the Valley to serve that area.

Grits asked Hurley specifically what would happen to mentally ill kids presently housed at Corsicana. Are other facilities prepared to handle them, I asked - are there sufficient mental health resources, personnel, etc., at the other units? Hurley said there are "several options" on which he declined to elaborate and a "number of factors" which he did not name. "We do have some options under consideration that are not fully developed and that the agency is not ready to discuss," he said. Suffice it to say, even when pressed off the record, any current plans for how to plug that gap in services are sketchy and preliminary at best. Mike Griffiths and crew had better be rapidly working on a better solution than "we're figuring it out," which is the essence of the response I got. He did say the agency is not currently considering  privatization for that population, which is good news as long as it lasts.

Few if any reporters attend TJJD board meetings anymore now that the 2007 sex scandals have subsided - usually none if the Statesman's Mike Ward doesn't go - and in fact the only press account I've seen of last week's meeting was from Janet Jacobs at the Corsicana Sun. She did not mention the halfway houses but corroborated staff reports that the final decision on the Corsicana unit is still pending. Her latest story concluded, "The LBB has final approval of any changes, and a recommendation from the TJJD has to be given the LBB by Sept. 1. The TJJD board is expected to vote on a recommendation on July 26. Any closures have to be done by January 1, 2014." Grits emailed TJJD's media manager Jim Hurley for more details on pending closures and to request a copy of the evaluation mentioned in this article recommending the Corsicana Unit's closure. I'll update this post when I get them. MORE: Here's a link to the brief evaluation, which provides only a handful of bullet points regarding pros and cons of closing various units.

Rumors swirled for months that Corsicana could be on the chopping block, so this comes as no great surprise. But IMO if they're going to close another large unit it should probably be Evins. Despite repeated interventions, those folks can''t seem to pull their act together. Plus, the Corsicana unit presently is where TJJD keeps mentally ill juvenile inmates. Maybe the agency is prepared to provide those services elsewhere (they'd better be), but it's not obvious to me that's the case.

UPDATE (7/24): See the Texas Tribune's coverage.

The LBB has final approval of any changes, and a recommendation from the TJJD has to be given the LBB by Sept. 1.  The TJJD board is expected to vote on a recommendation on July 26. Any closures have to be done by Jan. 1, 2014. - See more at: http://corsicanadailysun.com/local/x596947851/State-hears-Corsicana-s-appeals-on-treatment-center-closure#sthash.uT4Nl5ue.dpuf

The TJJD announced earlier this month it planned to close the facility.
Local leaders are addressing the TJJD staff at today's public hearing being held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Austin.
Transcripts from today's public hearing will be presented to the full TJJD board at its meeting on July 26, when a final decision on recommending its closure is expected.
- See more at: http://corsicanadailysun.com/local/x596947489/Testimony-underway-in-State-Home-public-hearing#sthash.5PfiyrUx.dpuf

The TJJD announced earlier this month it planned to close the facility.
Local leaders are addressing the TJJD staff at today's public hearing being held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Austin.
Transcripts from today's public hearing will be presented to the full TJJD board at its meeting on July 26, when a final decision on recommending its closure is expected.
- See more at: http://corsicanadailysun.com/local/x596947489/Testimony-underway-in-State-Home-public-hearing#sthash.5PfiyrUx.dpuf

The TJJD announced earlier this month it planned to close the facility.
Local leaders are addressing the TJJD staff at today's public hearing being held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Austin.
Transcripts from today's public hearing will be presented to the full TJJD board at its meeting on July 26, when a final decision on recommending its closure is expected.
- See more at: http://corsicanadailysun.com/local/x596947489/Testimony-underway-in-State-Home-public-hearing#sthash.5PfiyrUx.dpuf