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Prior to the 1991 Legislative Session, the projections for future Division of Youth Services (DYS) populations were indicating the need for approximately 500 additional beds in the DYS system. Discussions among the Executive Director of the Department of Institutions, DYS Staff, Legislators and Joint Budget Committee Staff included the possibility of local service options as a viable alternative to building expensive state facilities. These discussions culminated in the development of Senate Bill 91-94, which was introduced and adopted during the 1991 Legislative Session. One provision of the bill provided for the establishment of a Juvenile Services Fund that would provide resources to local jurisdictions on or after July 1, 1993, to fund alternative services to incarceration. These services would be described in local juvenile services plans developed by each jurisdiction and the services would be designed appropriate for youth, as viable alternatives to placement in State-funded detention and commitment facilities.

Statewide implementation occurred during the 93-94 fiscal year. Local juvenile services plans that provided for alternatives to incarceration were developed, approved, and implemented in each of the 22 judicial districts. Senate Bill 94 (SB 94) programs were viewed as an important element in meeting DYS bed capacity needs. It was therefore determined that DYS budget documents, and the General Assembly’s formula for funding DYS capacity needs, would assume that SB 94 programs would be 70% successful in preventing the placement of at-risk youth in State-operated facilities. Thus, all funding decisions since that time estimated that SB 94 program services would reduce the need for State-funded beds. Several years ago “Senate Bill 94” changed to the Colorado Youth Detention Continuum (CYDC) to be a better reflection of the full juvenile justice system and the opportunities for CYDC programming to have a positive impact.