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County will take over youth shelter Community Works will keep ownership of the site, but Community Justice personnel will operate it By JONEL ALECCIA TALENT - Jackson County will take over operation of a youth shelter closed by criminal sex abuse charges, replacing staff and services formerly provided by Community Works, officials said. The Medford social service agency will retain ownership of land and buildings valued at nearly $550,000 for the Youth Diagnostic Shelter - property that was a 1997 gift from the county. But the agency will no longer be allowed to provide shelter services to some 300 at-risk youth ages 10 to 17 each year, said Bob Grindstaff, county Community Justice director. "I don't think they can," Grindstaff said. "Their current legal situation makes it too difficult. I think there are big concerns." One former shelter supervisor pleaded guilty to having sex with clients as young as 15 at the site, and another is awaiting trial in March on 14 charges, including a dozen sex crimes. A third person was convicted of supplying methamphetamine to youth at the shelter. Arnie Green, executive director of Community Works, said the move was the best thing for area at-risk youth. "We're really pleased that the shelter is reopening," he said. Green sidestepped questions about being removed from operation of a program with an annual budget of $500,000 and ongoing contracts with the county, the Oregon Youth Authority and the state Department of Human Services. "We've been working really hard to get the shelter open again," he reiterated. The shelter closed in April after county and state officials investigated allegations of abuse. Under the new operation agreement, set to begin by Jan. 1, the shelter will be run by Joe Ferguson, manager of the county's Community Justice youth detention facility. Ferguson previously worked as a house manager at the Lithia Springs School, a program for at-risk youth run by Community Works. A supervisor likely will be hired to run the day-to-day operations of the 14-bed site, officials said. Additional staff will be provided by county detention workers, who will be trained specifically for working in a youth shelter by Josephine County corrections officials, who operate a similar program. When the county's new juvenile center is completed in 2004, the site at 5605 S. Pacific Highway will close, and services will move to the new location. Community Works will lease the property to Jackson County under terms of an agreement that must still be finalized. Grindstaff said he believed the county would pay its own costs for operations and utilities and Community Works would allow the county to use the land at no charge. Jackson County commissioners approved the plan this week after months of negotiations. State contracts await completion. Shelter for at-risk youngsters is desperately needed, agreed state and county officials, who have struggled to find appropriate care. Many young people have been placed in shelters far from the Rogue Valley, while others have been housed at a site in Josephine County. "It's a great value to our youth to re-open the shelter," said Hank Collins, county health and human services director. "It's important to send these troubled youth to a quality facility that is close to their families. I'm very happy we'll again be able to offer this needed service that will help strengthen our community." Reach reporter JoNel Aleccia at 776-4465, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.