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Under the microscope A troubled shelter for youth has to re-establish itself under new Jackson County management By JONEL ALECCIA Mail Tribune Fresh paint, new carpet and security cameras are the most visible signs of change as a Talent youth shelter closed last spring by sex crimes prepares to re-open Feb. 1 under Jackson County management. But differences in the Youth Diagnostic Shelter, formerly run by Community Works of Medford, will be more than cosmetic, the new operators say. Experienced staff, extensive background checks, new protocols and increased attention to public perception will revamp the shelter for troubled young people, say county officials. "We're going to be in the public eye," says Joe Ferguson, county shelter director. "We'll be under a microscope from the community." The closer scrutiny follows criminal sex charges against two former Community Works supervisors and revelations of long-standing management problems at the agency. One former supervisor was sentenced to more than four years in prison after pleading guilty to having sex with clients as young as 15. The other awaits trial in March on 14 charges, including a dozen sex crimes. After an investigation abruptly closed the shelter in April and sent clients scattering, Jackson County officials stepped in to run the 14-bed center that serves some 300 troubled kids each year. Taking over the operations will cost Jackson County taxpayers about $130,000 a year - part of the shelter's $600,000 annual budget, which is primarily funded by state and county contracts. Most of the new money will go toward staffing the center around the clock with experienced, well-trained personnel, says Carl Erickson, deputy director of the Community Justice department. "The level and quality of the staffing will be the biggest difference," Erickson says. In addition to new supervisor Eric Guyer, nine probation officers have been hired for the project, but they won't be solely dedicated to the shelter. County detention staff will rotate through the center's day, evening and graveyard shifts, with senior officers partnered with rookies for support and guidance. Average salary will be $11.38 an hour and most staff will have had more than two weeks of training, Erickson says. By contrast, the Community Works supervisors accused of crimes were paid minimum wage and received minimal training to work weekend nights with some of the most difficult youth in the region. "It has been a significant challenge for nonprofit organizations to adequately train and hire staff," says Debbie Rios, regional program manager for the Oregon Youth Authority, which sends kids to the shelter. That may be why several Oregon counties, including Josephine, Lincoln and now Jackson, have taken over shelter operations. "Our staff know how to deal with dependent and delinquent kids," says Ferguson. The shelter will reopen Feb. 1 with between eight and 10 clients, with additional beds set to fill soon after, staff say. That's a relief to agencies charged with referring young people to the shelter. Kids ages 10 to 17 are placed from a few days to up to a few months. Some have committed crimes; others are crime victims. "I have likened it to a hospital emergency center: Kids come in here and they're triaged out," Rios says. The closure of the shelter sent shudders throughout the OYA, the state Human Services agency and county programs which suddenly had to scramble to find beds. "Real concretely, what it means is we won't be using the Josephine County shelter for Jackson County kids," says Rios. "But, for me, the bigger piece is to allow us to have this critical resource here. I'm pleased Jackson County stepped to the plate." 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.