Published: June 06, 2008 11:33 pm      

Cambria ready to house more young offenders

EBENSBURG — Cambria County is preparing to house Blair County juveniles at its detention home as Blair prepares to close its facility for young offenders.

Cambria commissioners on Friday approved a letter of understanding to guarantee four beds at all times for Blair juveniles at Cambria’s facility for one year, effective July 1.

Although Blair officials could not be reached for comment, they are making arrangements for a drop-off center where the juveniles could be assessed before being transported to Cambria, according to published reports.

Adelphoi Village of Latrobe, which has operated the Blair Detention Home, is ceasing operation.

State officials have told Blair toclose the old facility, it has been reported.

Blair officials have suggested that the Cambria connection may beused only until Blair can replace its 106-year-old detention home and find a management company to operateit.

There has been discussion recently about using the Northwestern Human Services building, a regional facility in Blair County.

Cambria will charge Blair $195 a day for each juvenile housed. That’s the same rate paid by other counties that send juveniles here, President Commissioner P.J. Stevens said.

Blair will not pay any type of retainer fee for the guarantee of four beds daily, he said.

“This is a win-win situation for both counties,” Stevens said.

Cambria will receive revenue to offset operating expenses, and Blair will save the higher costs of operating its own facility, he said.

The Cambria detention home, which is state-licensed for 12 juveniles, averaged six a day in 2007, Administrator Darnell Hodge said.

“It fluctuates,” she said. “Last month, it was six. Some days it’s eight, and then it’s down to four.”

Cambria expects to spend $1.47 million this year to operate the detention home and the adjacent shelter for youngsters needing emergency care, usually through child-care services.

That cost is split in half between detention and emergency care, said Mike Gelles, the county’s chief clerk and finance director.

The commissioners have anticipated that the subsidy from the general fund will be $350,000 this year.

The last year that the detention and sheltered-care facility broke even financially was 2002, Gelles said.