Cass County Board: Intakes up, programming expands at juvenile center

   BACKUS— Mindy O’Brien, superintendent of Northwestern Minnesota Juvenile Center (NWMJC), shared the annual report along with a programming update at the Tuesday, March 15 Cass County board meeting. The annual report stated that intakes were up slightly over 2020 with a total of 76 youth. The majority of children taken into the program continue to be between the ages of 14-17 years old and of Native American ethnicity. 

   O’Brien also shared programming updates that the center offers, those being, in-house therapeutic services, Sweats being approved by the school district as class credit and a therapeutic dog named Willa. During the past year the center was able to utilize CARES Act funds to build an activites court, purchase unit dayroom furniture and update intake. Another update at the center is the switch to a self-run kitchen in August 2021. By the center having its own kitchen they are able to offer higher quality homemade meals and apply for various grants to aid in the purchase of food. During the first quater of 2022 NWMJC has been awarded the following grants: $2,500 from Farm to Table; $ 2,750 from Fresh Fruits and Vegetables; $6,100 Supply Chain Assistance; $9,200 USDA School Lunch Program Commodities and the prelimiary approval of an equipment grant in the amount of $16,445.

   Bob Smith, Cultural Coordinator of NWMJC, introduced the youth that were in attendance to perform on a feather drum the youth constructed themselves. Smith also shared the programs are open to all youth that reside at the facility but are limited to smaller numbers because only so many people can fit around a drum. He mentioned a second drum could be constructed because the number of residents wanting to participate in this program is increasing, but it is very costly to construct the drums. The expansion of this program is something Smith mentioned will be explored in order to allow more youth to participate.