Teton County to consider $450-a-day deal to detain local juveniles in Idaho

Teton County commissioners are set to vote Monday on a contract that would send some local teens to an Idaho juvenile detention center, and charge Teton County $450 per day, per kid, for any detention bed Bannock County provides. The agreement would cover both boys and girls, and defines a “day” as any period when a juvenile “eats two (2) or more regularly scheduled meals or occupies a bed for any portion of a night,” which matters for families trying to understand how quickly the bill can add up, even on a short hold. Memorandum of Agreement with Bannock County Resolution

The contract spells out the basics of how a youth would get placed: Teton County staff would need to arrange housing in advance when possible, and juveniles “will not be admitted without a Court Order.” It also says the Idaho facility can refuse or end a placement if it would overcrowd the center or if the youth arrives without documentation or has urgent medical needs. Memorandum of Agreement with Bannock County Resolution