ACS Program Pod Security
The Anoka County Secure facility is a location where youth are placed, by order of the court, to long term programing due to serious criminal conduct. Currently the space is an open concept due to the fact that the building was designed for the medium security needs of adult inmates. The space was also designed and built prior to modifications to federal standards associated with the Prison Rape Elimination Act. These factors along with the complexity of needs associated with this challenging population require us to consider the need for increased safety to both staff and residents. The remodeling will also allow increased utilization of the space to the licensed capacity providing more youth the assistance they need. Out of home placements like ACS are very limited throughout the state. The remodeling will benefit to the County through the potential of increased in revenue associated with collaboration with other counties who have the same needs. These collaborations reduce the periderm costs to our county and keep Anoka County youth within their own community.
Adding the doors and updating the space directly increases the safety for employees and youth. The modifications reduce the liability associated with critical incidences. They enable all the other youths in the program to be move to the safety of their rooms when a lock down is required. This provides the staff the option to provide a specific youth the proper attention to resolve the situation without concern of others becoming involved or impacted. Within the last few years assaults on staff have increased. The ability to lock down the floor is an important tool to minimize this risk. There have been recent situations where youth have conspired to assault staff in efforts to potentially escape. The open floor plan makes planning and the associated attempts much easier. Staff from other pods cannot assist without the ability to secure and contain youth.
Health of both residence and staff would also increase under the new floor plan. In the open communal floor plan it is difficult to prevent transmission of viruses. Recently it has been difficult in keeping positions filled and staff healthy. The new floor plan offers increased privacy resulting in better separation for personal hygiene needs and better containment when youth are ill.
The original architectural planning and construction foresaw a potential need making the expansion feasible. Wold Architecture, in conjunction with Facility and Construction Management, reviewed original blueprints and toured the building to confirm this as a feasible plan and to assist with a cost estimate.
Project Summary
1) Use Category - Facilities
2) Project Start Date - 1/2023
3) Project End Date - 10/2023
4) FTE Impact - Not Required
5) Required by Statute - No
6) Comments - None
7) Total Estimated Project Cost - $3,472,941
Five Year Spending Plan
Before
This picture shows the current open concept configuration.
After
Here is a picture of what the space will look like after. The doors will provide safety and security to staff and youth in the facility.