February 2, 2009

THE WEEK AHEAD BRINGS MAJOR FOCUS ON NASELLE; MEANWHILE, OTHER JUVENILE REHAB INSTITUTIONS AND PROGRAMS MAY BE TARGETED

The small town of Naselle in Pacific County is fighting for its economic life and has made the future of Naselle Youth Camp a major part of that battle.

Already, just the possibility of closure is having a negative economic impact. For instance, a favorite coffee stand, The Cool Cow Coffee Company, is going out of business. In a notice posted at the door, owner Natalie Morgan said her business can’t make it “with the possibility of the closing of the youth camp, one of the shop’s loyal customer bases.”

The community is staging a town hall meeting this Wednesday. The Save Naselle Youth Camp Town Hall meeting will be 7 p.m., this Wednesday, Feb. 4, at Naselle High School Commons. Also slated to attend are interim DSHS Secretary Stan Marshburn and top DSHS Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration officials.

MEANWHILE…

We’re hearing rumors from our members at JRA that other juvenile rehab institutions could be on the chopping block, not just Naselle Youth Camp.

At this point, Green Hill School, Maple Lane School and Echo Glen Children’s Center, along with JRA probation and parole and JRA group homes could all be at risk.

Our lobbyists need representatives from each area of JRA to join an action team to get the message to legislators of the value of all JRA programs in the continuum of care for community safety and the beneficial impact our members have on the youthful offenders in their care.

CALL TO ACTION: Call your legislators at 1-800-562-6000 and urge them to save Naselle Youth Camp and all JRA programs and institutions. If the operators ask for a bill number, tell them it’s in the governor’s budget bills, HB 1244 and SB 5600.

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