Riverside Youth Treatment and Education Center Expansion

The existing YTEC facility is approximately 60,838 square feet and comprises a 6-bed assessment unit, a 20-bed transitional housing component, and four, 20-single cell living units. The treatment and education center also includes group and individual therapy rooms, vocational classrooms and workshop space, nursing and medical facilities, school classrooms, multipurpose conference rooms, kitchen facilities, intake area with security room, visitation, maintenance and laundry facilities, administrative offices, and recreational space. The existing YTEC facility in Riverside would leverage the existing infrastructure, such as the housing, intake, kitchen, laundry, parking, and warehouse, to expand the facility by primarily including a new 14,506 square-foot educational, vocational training, and recreational program facility. More specifically, the expansion’s scope of work will include a public lobby, a classroom, a dental office, an automotive vocational training shop, a welding vocational training lab, staff offices, an indoor recreational area, exterior landscape, hardscape, security, lighting, fencing, a fenced access road, and other site improvements. The improvements would enhance program services at the existing YTEC facility and would not add additional beds or increase the capacity of detained youth. Previously, the County received a conditional award from the Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) in the amount of $15,898,455 for the expansion of a youth rehabilitation facility. At the time of the application, the proposed project was to be located at the existing Indio Juvenile Hall. On November 21, 2016, the BSCC notified the Probation Department of the withdrawal of the County of Tulare from the Local Youthful Offender Rehabilitative Facility Construction Financing Program. Thus, the BSCC awarded the Probation Department a portion of the reverted funds to increase Riverside County’s award by $1,601,545, bringing the total award to the original request of $17,500,000. During the design process, population trends and court commitments to the desert region YTEC detention facility were in decline and the initial scope in the grant application became unsupported by the need. Due to this, the Probation Department determined the best location would be to construct the new facility behind the existing YTEC facility in Riverside leveraging the existing infrastructure. The additional infrastructure would enhance the level of probation services to the surrounding community. The project would also involve utility alterations, including stormwater drainage improvements, electrical and septic upgrades to provide service to the new building. Construction is anticipated to start in the first quarter of 2026 and would be completed by the fourth quarter of 2027.