Following a November 2022 riot at the facility, the Adair County Youth Development Center has hired 19 new recruits following their recent graduation from the Department of Juvenile Justice’s training academy, according to Gov. Andy Beshear.
A total of 59 individuals have graduated from the academy and reported to their assigned facilities around the state while another 22 individuals began the training academy on February 20, and are expected to graduate March 17, 2023.
The training academy includes six-weeks, 128 hours of instruction focused on a variety of topics including cultural diversity/implicit bias, mental health training, crisis prevention, de-escalation techniques, conflict resolution, riot and hostage situations, searches and contraband, report of abuse and neglect, fire safety, suicide prevention, the Prison Rape Elimination Act, report writing and observation skills, health services protocols, behavior management and legal issues. The academy also includes two weeks of on-the-job training.
Earlier this month, Beshear announced that due to critical staffing issues at DJJ, state police had assigned two uniformed troopers 24 hours a day, seven days a week to the Adair, Fayette and Warren Juvenile Detention Centers.