Disbursement of juvenile services funds the subject of discussion

As the state attempts to lower its juvenile incarceration rates, the county is applying for available state aid money to increase its local youth programs and probation services. On Monday, Cheyenne County commissioners approved the 2014 community based juvenile services aid grant application.

In 2014, Deuel County would commit all of its funding of $4,300 to additional space for probation. The total allotment available to Cheyenne County, according to the Nebraska Commission on Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice, is around $26,000. Of these funds, county attorney Paul Schaub explained that around $12,000 will be awarded to Cheyenne County and Kids Plus would receive around $14,000. Kids Plus is a local organization which works to prevent youth from entering the world of substance abuse and helps to fund local groups and organizations which hold safe events for kids and teens. The Kids Plus mission statement says the organization helps to promote prevention, family health, protection, well-being and empowerment.

The county has already received the 2013 juvenile services aid money.

"The question right now is, is there a certain disbursement requirement that the project has to be implemented within a certain period of time," Schaub said. "Those funds were earmarked to assist probation with the costs that they were going to incur with additional space."

Schaub is working to discover by what time last year's money must be used and promised to report back to the commissioners after speaking with the crime commission about the requirements for use of the grant money. This is a concern, because with many grants there is a requirement that the money must be used by a certain date, or the county would lose access to the funds.