Staff Shortages As A Result of Poor Living Conditions in Youth Rehab Center

Nebraska lawmakers plan to investigate staffing shortages in state facilities that house juvenile offenders after some employees complained about safety and employee burnout.

The issue gained new attention last week when all 24 girls were moved from the Youth Rehabilitation and Treatment Center in Geneva because of poor living conditions.

Lawmakers who visited the all-girl facility learned that many of the girls weren’t getting rehabilitative programming and frequently rebelled against staff members. The girls damaged several of the buildings where they were housed, and lawmakers found fire hazards, holes in walls and water damage in campus buildings.

Lawmakers plan to hold a hearing in October. The review will examine staffing levels at the youth centers in Kearney and Geneva and other state-run facilities.