The Emergency Crisis Shelter is a 16-bed facility providing short-term shelter for youth who are in need of a safe haven, are runaways, or are awaiting placement into a residential treatment setting. The Crisis Shelter serves youth from ages nine (9) to eighteen (18). The shelter is provided for males and females. This is a non-secure setting that operates 24 hours a day 365 days a year.

Youths are referred and admitted into the Shelter by law enforcement, outside agencies, or protective services. Self-referrals are taken and parent/guardians may also make referrals after a complete assessment is conducted. The Shelter collaborates closely with the Navajo Nation to provide services for youths who are in the custody of their system.

Programming is provided for all youths housed in the shelter. Life Skills courses take place weekly, covering topics such as alcohol/drug abuse, anger/stress management, personal hygiene, runaway, and goal setting. Art classes and religious services are provided for residents on a voluntary basis.

Education is provided for shelter youth by Farmington Municipal School District operating on the regular school schedule.

All facility programming falls under the direction of the Juvenile Services Administrator.

Life Skills

All juveniles attend Life Skill classes. Life Skill classes are designed to help residents better manage everyday life circumstances. Classes take place 5 days a week before or after school and daily in the summer months. Life Skill classes include:

• Anger Management
• Stress Management
• Goals
• Personal Hygiene
• Nutrition and Eating Right, etc.

Classes/Games

The Juvenile Program Facilitator conducts programs, games, and other activities with all residents.

Programs:

• Painting classes
• Drawing classes
• Navajo/Tibetan Sand Paintings and Origami

Games:

• Anger Bingo
• Stress Bingo
• Self-Esteem Bingo and Win, Lose or Draw

San Juan County contracts with AMIKids to provide treatment services. The 16-bed residential treatment center is to provide in-patient substance abuse and behavioral health treatment as well as adjudication alternatives. The residential treatment and intensive outpatient serves youth ages thirteen (13) to eighteen (18). Juveniles can be admitted by self or parent/guardian referral, juvenile probation, assessment staff, outside agencies, the Navajo Nation, or committed by court ordered. Family involvement is a requirement for all residents, as well as participation in aftercare. 

The 47-bed secure detention facility holds juveniles in custody for an alleged delinquent act after a detention risk assessment instrument is completed and a determination is made that the child meets criteria for detention. The criteria for detention are pursuant to NM State Statute which governs the decisions for secure holding.

An objective for operations of detention is to provide a secure, safe, and structured setting for juveniles ages twelve (12) to eighteen (18). Separate housing units for males and females, as well as a fully staffed medical unit providing crisis rooms, isolation room which is used for contagious disease control.

Education is provided for all juveniles through a partnership with Farmington Municipal School District. Facility programming consists of daily Life Skills courses, Art classes, Health and Nutrition, and Career Readiness. On a monthly basis, Safe Sex and Sexually Transmitted Disease information classes are provided by the Department of Health. Additionally, religious services are available to all residents through various community faith providers and a facility Chaplain.

Behavior Modification System

All juveniles are required to participate in the Behavior Modification System. This system has 4 levels.

All youth placed in detention begin on Level 0. They may advance up to Levels 1, 2, and 3 depending on their participation, behavior, and length of stay. This system is to help modify behavior by juveniles following rules, regulations, and responsibilities and in the process, they earn privileges or removal of privileges.

Visitation

All juveniles are allowed to receive in-person visits from immediate family members.  Immediate family members must schedule the visitation 24-hours in advance.  The behavior level the juvenile is currently on determines the number of eligible visits for that week.  All visits are 20 minutes long and are available for juveniles on the following schedule.  

• In-person visits are on Tuesdays and Saturdays at 6:00 p.m., 6:30 p.m., 7:00 p.m., and 7:30 p.m.  Each visit will allow up to three (3) visitors at one time.
• Virtual visitation is available to juveniles detained from outside of San Juan County.  Immediate family members must schedule the appointment 24-hours in advance.
• Virtual visitation occurs on Mondays and Fridays at 6:00 p.m., 6:30 p.m., 7:00 p.m., 7:30 p.m., 8:00 p.m., and 8:30 p.m.
• Special contact visits are scheduled through facility administration. These visits are only permitted for juveniles who have been sentenced to a long-term commitment, strictly as a courtesy to the families and can be denied at any time.
• Special Visit requests must be requested through Juvenile Services Administration for approval.

To schedule a visit or for any questions related to visitation please contact (505) 324-5800 or (505) 324-5846.

Professional Visitation

All juveniles are allowed visits from attorneys, probation officers, counselors, or social workers, with exception to lunchtime. Accommodations will be made at any time by staff to all professional visitors.

Religious Services

Regularly scheduled religious services take place every Sunday on a rotating schedule. Staff informs residents of which providers are holding services on Sunday, and allow residents to sign up for the desired service. Every child detained in the San Juan County Juvenile Facility is allowed to worship and practice the religion of his/her choice as mandated by law, on a voluntary basis. We offer a variety of multi-denominational providers.

• Catholic Services
• Voice of God
• Word of Life
• The Gathering Church

Any special religious visits will be arranged and approved through Administration.

The facility also has a Chaplin who is available to counsel juveniles every Monday afternoon. In addition, a Catholic Priest visits juveniles requesting a visit every Monday evening.

Alcoholics Anonymous & Narcotics Anonymous

A.A. and N.A. are available to all residents. A.A. is held on Monday nights on a rotating basis. N.A. is held on Wednesday nights on a rotating basis. Residents are to inform staff if they wish to attend. This is voluntary.

Education/School

School is provided through the Farmington Municipal School District. The facility is on the same school schedule as the Farmington District, all breaks and holidays fall consistent with the public schools.

Library

Juvenile Services has an on-site library for the educational, recreational, and informational purposes for residents. We have available Accelerated Reading material that is marked by reading levels. A check out system is available for residents on materials they need to complete school assignments such as book reports.

Mail Services

There are no limitations as to the volume of mail a juvenile can receive. All mail must have the full return address on the envelope before it will be delivered to the juvenile. All letters and packages will be inspected for contraband and opened in the presence of the child. Incoming mail from the court or child's attorney is considered privileged mail and will not be opened. This mail must be properly labeled in order to classify it as privileged mail. Personnel will not read any privileged mail.

Medical Services

Medical Services are available to all residents. Residents may request to see a nurse by filling out a "Medical Kite" form. There is a Nurses locked drop box located in every cell block for medical staff to access daily.

Juvenile Probation Officer/ Public Defender / Attorney

These services are provided by the Juvenile Justice System and are not provided by the San Juan County Juvenile Detention Center. Any information you may need about your case, please contact the Children Youth & Families Department, your Juvenile Probation Officer, your Private Attorney, or the Public Defender's Office.

Personal Hygiene / Disease Transmission Prevention & Awareness Class

The Department of Health conducts a Personal Hygiene / Disease Transmission Prevention and Awareness class once a month for all residents.

Detention Staff

Juvenile Services is staffed by 47 employees: Juvenile Administrator, one (1) Deputy Administrator, one (1) Administrative Assistant, one (1) Quality and Compliance Coordinator, one (1) Juvenile Case Specialist, one (1) Counselor III, two (2) Office Assistant, one (1) Crisis Shelter Supervisor, one (1) Juvenile Program Facilitator, one (1) Training Instructional Coordinator, thirty-one (31) Detention Officer and four (4) Sergeants.

Detention Officers cover three shifts. Staff members are responsible for the highest priority of the care, safety, and security of all juvenile residents. The staff works closely with Court Services, Juvenile Probation, and the resident's Attorney.

San Juan County Juvenile Detention Center and Crisis Shelter is certified annually by standards set by the Children, Youth & Families Department.

Training

All new Juvenile Detention Officers complete an intensive one week, 40-Hour Basic Care Worker training and are certified. The new staff is supervised and trained by experienced employees. Staff is Red Cross First Aid/CPR certified. Staff also receives specialized training in Safe Crisis Management (SCM), verbal de-escalation, and Direct Supervision and must attend additional training yearly. Staff training is coordinated through Officer B. Lohman, Training Instructional Coordinator under the direction of the Juvenile Administrator.