The Committee on Human Services has directed DYRS to increase local capacity of service providers and to reduce the use of out-of-state facilities, particularly those more than 100 miles away from DC. The December report, the first of the quarterly reports, will the Committee and the community track:
- Numbers of youth being sent to out-of-state facilities
- Reasons for those placement
- Services to be offered and eventually evaluation of those services
- Successful Medicaid reimbursements
Highlights from the December report are:
- 188 DYRS youth in RTC / PRTF (assessments of eight youth are missing)
*146 youth are 17 years old and younger
*42 are 18 – 20 years old
158 male / 30 female
*179 African American / 8 Latino / 1 White
*46 different facilities, 7 within 100 miles of DC
*144 placements paid with local dollars / 34 placements Medicaid eligible
*170 days average length of stay - 30% of OVERALL DYRS youth are assessed as HIGH /MEDIUM Risk*88 of the 180 in RTC / PRTF are HIGH / MEDIUM Risk*117 of 180 have felony adjudication as most serious charge
- Mental Health (youth have multiple, dual diagnosed mental health disorders
*136 (76%) of 180 have mood disorders
*108 (60%) of 180 have ADHD / disruptive behavior disorders
*86 (47%) of 180 have Learning / Communication disorders - 140 of 180 have some type of substance / alcohol abuse disorder
