Department for Children and Families

Lawmakers last year passed Act 173, which allowed former foster care children to see their state records for the first time.

Vermont hasn’t had a permanent facility for justice-involved youth since 2020. The lack of a secure facility has meant more juveniles have been held in adult prisons.

The bill’s backers say a homelessness response system centered on the community level would be a better way to spend state money and serve people in need. It’s an idea with a long history.

The state argues that its family court system has exclusive jurisdiction to decide whether a child needs care or supervision, and that the plaintiff can't relitigate custody decisions via a lawsuit.

The Department for Children and Families unconstitutionally conspired with private service providers to monitor a pregnant woman, attempt to coerce her into a cesarean, and wrongfully take custody of her child, the ACLU of Vermont alleged in a lawsuit.

“On short notice and for a temporary timeframe… you’re going to have to pay a premium for that,” said Department for Children and Families Commissioner Chris Winters.

Families will need to contact the state in order to get access to the Williston and Waterbury shelters, which will remain open until April 1.

In May, the Department for Children and Families unveiled a plan to build a new secure youth facility in Vergennes — partially on land that once housed the Weeks School, a former youth detention center with a troubled history. Some advocates say it’s a physical reminder that the state hasn't done enough to reckon with the past.

Vermont has a new law that allows former foster care children to see their records — which were previously locked to them and only available to some state employees, and birth and foster parents. Vermont is one of few states in the U.S. to allow this access.

Vermont hasn’t had a locked facility for youth since shuttering Woodside in 2020. The new temporary facility in Middlesex will accommodate up to four youth.