Sparring over security protocols at Green Hill School in Chehalis continued this week as Gov. Jay Inslee sent a formal response to Senate Minority Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, on Thursday addressing the senator’s security concerns at the facility.
According to Inslee, the security improvements at Green Hill School include increased patrols of its perimeter, preparation for additional exterior cameras, the restriction of personal belongings of visitors, increased resident programming and modified separation to “quell instances of aggression.” He also said staff are prepared for the installation of new body scanners and have established a new process for reporting incidents to law enforcement.
“It is absolutely true that House Bill 6160 (also referred to as JR to 25) and the fentanyl crisis have impacted conditions at Green Hill,” Inslee wrote Thursday. “Should you choose to become more informed and visit Green Hill School to speak with their leaders, they could talk to you about their ongoing collaboration with the Chehalis Police Department and how they have enacted all their suggested reforms to date.”
The letter comes after Braun and Inslee have repeatedly commented in recent months over security protocol at the juvenile detention and rehabilitation system run by the Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF), as the state implements legislation that allows some young offenders to remain at the facility longer.
Passed by the Legislature in 2018, JR to 25 allows those sentenced in adult court for crimes committed under 18 to serve time in juvenile rehabilitation facilities such as Green Hill until they are 25.
A spokesperson for the governor previously said JR to 25 requires a “transformational shift in operations and facilities planning” and that many strategies, including “space for segregating individuals involved in assaults, or staffing and equipment for more extensive surveillance” are not yet available at Green Hill.
“I have a strong interest in ensuring a safe environment for Green Hill School’s youth and employees, and promoting positive rehabilitation outcomes for the youth at all our juvenile rehabilitation facilities,” Inslee wrote. “I cannot imagine anyone whose heart does not break at the news of a young person — whatever their circumstances — grappling with substance use issues or trying to escape a dangerous cycle of violence.”
Green Hill saw at least 12 riots in 2023 that have since been charged in Lewis County Superior Court, according to previous Chronicle reporting. Additionally, eight cases stemming from a Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team raid of the facility in August have since been charged in Lewis County Superior Court. At least four contraband-related incidents at Green Hill School that occurred after an Aug. 31 raid of the facility have also had hearings in Lewis County Superior Court. Several overdoses have been reported.
Last August, officials with the Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team served a warrant at the Chehalis facility and reported finding seized narcotics, contraband and makeshift weapons stashed in lockers.
An invitation for Braun to tour the facility came from DCYF Secretary Ross Hunter in November, and while he said he remains open to visiting, Braun said Thursday, “It’s not the point.”
“It’s just a distraction from the real problem,” Braun said.
In the interview, Braun said Green Hill has faced persistent problems for years. While he said he was excited to hear about the security protocol — some of which he heard about for the first time through the governor’s letter — he questioned their effectiveness and timing.
“We have to stay after the problem,” Braun said.
According to Braun, several recent overdoses and other incidents at the facility since the JNET raid prove the new security protocols are either not sufficient to stop the issues, or they should have been in place sooner.
A supplemental operating budget draft proposal released Monday includes funding for a "legislative-led audit" into the executive branch's juvenile detention efforts, which Senate Republicans say the proposal comes "in light of mismanagement concerns at Green Hill School in Lewis County and Echo Glen Children's Center in King County."
Braun said the proposal came at the suggestion of a member of his caucus. While he’s “optimistic” it will remain in the final budget, he said the audit is “just a starting point.”
“I think it’s a step in the right direction,” He said.
Braun said Thursday that his repeated calls to investigate the facility — which included an allegation that Inslee must “stop ignoring and covering up” issues — are “not about blaming anybody.”
Instead, he said, it’s about putting juvenile defenders “on the right path.”
“We’re not doing that right now,” Braun said. “At least, not as well as we should be.”
