Politics & Government

Youth Correctional Facility Earns National Recognition

Center chosen from among 500 other facilities

The Essex County Juvenile Detention Facility in Newark has been named “facility of the year” by the National Commission on Correctional Health Care, the office of Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo said.

“This national award from NCCHC is an indication of the high level of care we provide to the juveniles who are in our facility and demonstrates our dedication to providing an environment that maintains and promotes the health and safety of our detainees and staff,” DiVincenzo said. “From opening an on-site library, offering a full-day education program and providing first-class health care, we are committed to giving our detainees the resources to get their lives back in order,” he added.  

The Facility of the Year award is presented annually to a facility that has demonstrated excellence in health services delivery, correctional health care professionalism and commitment to continuity of health services and continual quality improvement. This year, the Essex County Juvenile Detention Center stood out from more than 500 eligible jails, prisons and juvenile confinement facilities. The Essex County Juvenile Detention Center, which has been accredited by NCCHC since 2004, has been awarded back-to-back perfect compliance scores by NCCHC. At the Essex County Juvenile Detention Center, residents also receive schooling and training which emphasize personal responsibility, job training, and mentoring to help them transition back into society and reduce recidivism.

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The Essex County Juvenile Detention Facility underwent a rigorous review and inspection by the Accreditation Committee of the NCCHC in the spring of 2013, received 100 percent compliance and was awarded a three-year accreditation on June 28. The accreditation inspection covers several areas, including health care standards, access to health care, training of personnel, policies and procedures, privacy guidelines, and safety, to name a few. The facility has been accredited since 2004 and this is the fourth consecutive cycle it has achieved this designation.


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