OJJ COMPLETES EVACUATION PLANS FOR YOUTH FACILITIES

BATON ROUGE -- The Office of Juvenile Justice (OJJ) has coordinated movement of youth housed in coastal parish juvenile detention centers to safer locations. Parish detention centers have either evacuated their youth already or made plans to evacuate by Saturday morning. The parishes of Orleans, Jefferson, St. Bernard, Plaquemines, St. James, Lafourche, Terrebonne, St. Martin, Lafayette and Calcasieu have moved youth, who will be housed in facilities from Baton Rouge to north Louisiana, during the emergency period.

“OJJ staff are truly dedicated to the youth in our care, and will do whatever it takes to maintain both public safety and the safety of our youth,” said Interim Deputy Secretary Mary Livers. “I am very impressed by our staff’s concern for our mission, and each other, as they work together as a team to care for our youth. In addition, regional office staff in north Louisiana have volunteered to step in for south Louisiana staff who must care for their families and cannot report for duty during a storm and its immediate aftermath.”

OJJ operates three secure care facilities for adjudicated youth, including Bridge City Center for Youth (BCCY) near New Orleans, Jetson Center for Youth (JCY) in Baker, near Baton Rouge, and Swanson Center for Youth (SCY) in Monroe. BCCY plans to evacuate depending on conditions, relocating its 104 youth to Jetson.

BCCY today accepted youth from parish detention centers in St. Bernard and Plaquemines Parishes, who will also be moved to JCY if necessary. OJJ youth arrived at their temporary domicile with personal, medical and legal records, clothing, personal items, bedding and supplies.

OJJ staff have contacted parents and guardians to apprise them of each youth’s location and make sure they know their children are safely housed and properly supervised. Staff from BCCY will accompany the youth to Jetson and will remain there as long as needed. Facilities have been located to shelter and house BCCY staff and their families who need to evacuate from the New Orleans/Jefferson Parish area, and/or work temporary duty at Jetson. The evacuated youth will return to BCCY or their parish facility after officials determine it is safe to do so.

Staff from Swanson Center for Youth in Monroe have travelled to Jetson to work with staff from BCCY and Jetson to help the BCCY residents become acclimated to their new, temporary surroundings. Youth will receive educational and medical and mental health services wherever they are in residence.

Probation and Parole Officers from OJJ’s regional offices in the northern part of the state are on alert to assist in covering the duties of south Louisiana staff who will need to care for their families. Parents of youth housed in coastal parish juvenile centers may call 800.594.3941 for information.