Youth reentry program clears first round
Lawmakers gave first-round approval April 2 to a measure aimed at easing the transition for Nebraska youth leaving detention, residential placement or probation supervision.
LB962, sponsored by Omaha Sen. Terrell McKinney, would create the Youth Reentry and Transitional Support Act, a multi-agency program focused on continuity of services during the first year of a young person’s transition back to their community.
McKinney said reentry is a critical period for youth in the state’s juvenile system, which too often focuses on supervision and “underinvests” in transition planning. As a result, he said, youth frequently leave state systems without proper support, leading to housing instability, gaps in medical care and a higher risk for recidivism.
“If we want different outcomes, we must build different systems,” McKinney said. “LB962 is an effort to improve the process of when youth are leaving our systems to make sure they have better plans and better supports to make sure they don’t return back to our systems.”
A Judiciary Committee amendment, adopted 43-0, replaced the bill with a modified version of the proposal that would narrow eligibility and simplify the program by using existing agency staff and resources.
The amendment directs the state department of Health and Human Services, Office of Juvenile Services, Office of Probation Administration and the state Department of Education’s Division of Rehabilitation Services to coordinate in establishing the reentry program.
A transition plan would be developed at the point of entry into a state system to address the following areas upon a juvenile’s release:
- family engagement;
- housing stability;
- school reentry;
- behavioral health and Medicaid continuity; and
- employment and workforce assistance.
Eligible youth would be provided with a transition plan, regular reviews and reentry supervision.
The committee amendment also would narrow eligibility from youth under age 21 to those under age 19 and remove a number of requirements in the original proposal, including caseload standards and a guarantee of 12 months of aftercare services.
McKinney said the amendment would address fiscal concerns from DHHS and the Nebraska Supreme Court while still improving the reentry process for juveniles leaving probation or state custody.
Sen. Carolyn Bosn of Lincoln, committee chairperson, supported the amendment and the underlying bill. She said the measure would focus on transition planning and coordination and eliminate the original proposal’s fiscal impact.
“I believe this amendment reflects a good compromise, improving the bill and creating a more workable framework for accomplishing the underlying goal of LB962,” Bosn said.
An additional amendment offered by McKinney and adopted 36-0 would make the bill’s implementation optional, clarify agency responsibility and eliminate agency obligations to provide services once a juvenile leaves probation supervision or state care, custody or control.
After adoption of an additional technical amendment, lawmakers advanced LB962 to select file on a 41-0 vote.
