CARROLL CONDEMNS CHILD’S MISTREATMENT, RENEWS PUSH FOR JUVENILE MENTAL HEALTH DETENTION FACILITY

“We need to get this done now. Waiting is no longer an option.”

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Nov. 4, 2026) — Sen. Danny Carroll, R-Paducah, chairman of the Senate Families and Children Committee, issued the following statement in response to reporting on the mistreatment of a child at the McCracken Regional Juvenile Detention Center.

“Leaving a child in a flooded cell for more than 20 hours was inhumane. Calling it unacceptable doesn’t do it justice. Staff resignations and disciplinary action followed, but they don’t explain how this happened or what will prevent it from happening again.

“A shortage of treatment options can never excuse abuse or mistreatment of a child in the state’s care.

“I have worked hand in hand with the Department of Juvenile Justice, Cabinet for Health and Family Services, the Administrative Office of the Courts, the Kentucky Hospital Association and other stakeholders for four legislative sessions in a row. Children in state custody need safe, humane conditions. Words alone will not fix the crisis. Youth with the most serious mental/behavioral health needs require treatment an ordinary detention center simply cannot provide. That is why I have kept pushing for a secure high-acuity detention facility, staffed by clinicians and specially trained correctional officers, so the commonwealth can give children in crisis the care they need.

“Earlier this year, the Senate-passed budget included $35 million in bond funding for this facility. I was disappointed the final budget didn't include it, though it directed the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet and DJJ to seek provider input and report back. The cabinet’s Oct. 30 report recommends a state-owned and operated facility with contracted clinical care. It estimates $40 million in remaining capital costs for the same 24-bed project, $5 million more than the Senate proposed. We should act on the report's findings.

“I will refile my legislation in January, keep working with the cabinet and other stakeholders to pursue the funding needed to move it forward.

“The General Assembly has invested significantly in DJJ staffing, services and facilities. Under Commissioner White’s leadership, the department has made numerous meaningful changes. However, the need to provide specialized care to our high-acuity youth remains as great as ever. The U.S. Department of Justice’s civil rights investigation of DJJ facilities continues, and the state could face additional costly litigation and eventually federal court oversight through a consent decree. Our first obligation is to do right by these children, and building this center is the most important step of this work.

“We need to get this done now. Waiting is no longer an option.”

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BACKGROUND

  • Carroll sponsored Senate Bill (SB) 162, which became law in 2023. It directed a return to regional juvenile detention, strengthened safety and staffing measures, required access to mental health professionals for children in crisis and provided funding for DJJ personnel, security and treatment efforts.

  • Carroll continued pursuing specialized treatment for youth with the most serious behavioral health needs through SB 242 in 2024, SB 111 in 2025 and SB 125 in 2026. Each passed the Senate but did not become law. The Senate-passed version of SB 125 proposed a secure mental health facility with at least 24 beds.

  • The General Assembly has also funded DJJ staffing, medical and mental health services, security and detention facility improvements. The 2024 budget required DJJ to report on the proposed high-acuity treatment facility, including its services, costs, capacity and possible operating models.

  • The Senate-passed version of HB 500 proposed $35 million in bond funding for the high-acuity facility. The enacted 2026 budget did not include that funding. It required the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet and DJJ to seek provider input on high-acuity treatment services and report their findings by Nov. 1. It also expressed intent to authorize reserve funding if the inquiry identified a viable project with a defined cost and feasible timeline.

  • The cabinet’s Oct. 30 report summarized six responses to its request for information. None offered to finance construction, though respondents said they were interested in working with the state. DJJ recommended a state-owned and operated facility with contracted clinical care. It estimated $40 million in remaining capital costs, up from the earlier $35 million proposal. The report did not provide an updated estimate of annual operating costs.

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Sen. Danny Carroll, R-Paducah, represents the 2nd Senate District, including Ballard, Carlisle, Livingston, Marshall, and McCracken Counties. He serves as chair of the Senate Families and Children Committee. Carroll is also a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, the Senate Health Services Committee, and the Senate Education Committee. Additionally, he is a member of the Legislative Oversight and Investigations Statutory Committee, the Medicaid Oversight and Advisory Board, and the Juvenile Justice Oversight Council (ex officio, non-voting).

For a high-resolution .jpeg of Carroll, please visit: https://legislature.ky.gov/Legislators Full Res Images/senate102.jpg.