County Gets Grant To Help Runaways

Fri., Dec. 15, 2000

By Kevin Blocker kevinb@spokesman.com

Spokane County has received a $275,000 state grant to help address the problem of runaways being held in custody longer than 24 hours.

The grant was awarded by the Governor’s Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee last week.

Under the state’s Becca Law, passed in 1995, runaway youths unable to return home can be held in “secure crisis residential centers” for up to five days for safety and crisis services.

But because these youths have not committed criminal offenses and are not provided due process, federal law allows them to be held for just 24 hours.

That conflict could result in a reduction of federal assistance for juvenile programs to the state, said Rand Young, director of Spokane County’s Juvenile Court.

“This is a demonstration project to try to show the feds that we can bring this law into compliance,” Young said.

State officials have been trying to show the federal government that the Becca Law is a more comprehensive attempt to protect runaways.

There are 450 youths enrolled in three crisis residential centers in Spokane County. Another 300 runaways are under juvenile court supervision, Young said.

The grant money will be used to draft a proposal which will attempt to provide the following:

* An attorney to represent runaways.

* A community transition coordinator to ensure the timely return home of runaways held in custody while linking their family with necessary community services.

* Specialized services for youth and families in conflict, including counseling and mediation.

The funding will be available on an annual basis, beginning Jan. 1, with the possibility of continued funding for a maximum of three years.

Spokane and Pierce were the only two counties in the state to receive the grant awards, Young said.

This sidebar appeared with the story: BACKGROUND Becca Law

Following the beating death of Rebecca Hedman, a 13-year-old Tacoma runaway who took to prostitution in Spokane, the Becca Law was passed to address concerns of runaway youth and families in conflict.

John Medlock killed Hedman in October 1993 and was later convicted of first-degree murder.

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