Washington juvenile detention center opening delayed until June

A new juvenile detention center in Washington is delayed due to staffing challenges. The Harbor Heights facility, meant to ease overcrowding at Green Hill School, was expected to open in March but will now open in June. The center will be located at Stafford Creek Corrections Center near Aberdeen. It will accommodate medium-security young men aged 17 to 25. Instead of being just another detention center, Harbor Heights is designed to help young people build skills while also addressing mental health issues. Hiring enough staff has been difficult. The Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF), led by Secretary Tana Senn, is competing with the Department of Corrections for workers like nurses and counselors. There have also been concerns from critics about the facility's past use as a prison. Kendrick Rochelle has been appointed as the first superintendent of Harbor Heights. He has experience in juvenile justice systems across several states. He aims to create a supportive environment for both young people and staff. In the meantime, Green Hill School remains overcrowded, causing safety issues. The state is exploring policy changes to help reduce the number of young people in detention. One proposal would require judges to demonstrate that community-based options are insufficient before sending a youth to detention. Though these legislative measures are progressing, much work is still needed to address the overcrowding crisis in juvenile facilities.