ATLANTA – State Representative Gerald Greene (R-Cuthbert) announced that the state’s Fiscal Year 2015 (AFY 2015) budget, the state spending plan from July 1 to June 30, included $12.27 million in funding for a Regional Youth Detention Center in Terrell County. House Bill 744, the FY15 budget, was passed by both the House and Senate on March 18, 2014, sending it to Governor Deal’s desk for his signature.
“I would like to express my gratitude to the Southwest Georgia Legislative Delegation, the Members of the Appropriations Committee, Governor Deal, and the State Department of Juvenile Justice for working on this project and including this funding in the state budget,” said Rep. Greene. “Public safety of the citizens of Terrell County is always a top priority and this new facility will ensure that we continue to look after the best interest of our youth.”
This additional funding for $12.27 million will go towards renovation and improvements to convert a former Department of Corrections facility into a Regional Youth Detention Center in Terrell County. The former Department of Corrections facility will be converted to handle medical and intake, administration spaces, dining, vocational, educational and programming requirements for youth detention. Once completed, the facility will accommodate secure housing for juvenile offenders and will be able to house both boys and girls. This facility has been a top priority for the Department of Juvenile Justice and will replace a 30-bed Regional Youth Detention Center in Albany that was built in 1967.
Regional Youth Detention Centers provide temporary, secure care and supervision to youth who have been charged with offenses and are awaiting placement. In addition, youth who have been committed to the custody of the Department of Juvenile Justice are sometimes placed in a Regional Youth Detention Center while awaiting treatment in a community program or a long-term facility.
To view a complete copy of the FY 2015 budget, please click here.
Representative Gerald Greene represents the citizens of District 151, which includes Calhoun, Clay, Early, Quitman, Randolph, Stewart, Terrell, and Webster counties, as well as portions of Dougherty County. He was elected into the House of Representatives in 1982, and serves as Vice Chairman of the Economic Development & Tourism Committee, Appropriations Subcommittee on Public Safety, and the Secretary of the State Properties Committee. He also serves on the Public Safety and Homeland Security, Retirement, and Rules committees.
###