The entrance to China Spring Youth Camp located south of Gardnerville in the Pinenut Mountains.
Photo by Kurt Hildebrand.
One of the challenges for China Spring Youth Camp is convincing state policymakers that it’s far more a treatment facility than a “boot camp.”
“China Spring is the only state-county funding juvenile justice facility, which is Medicaid eligible, accredited and licensed by the state of Nevada,” Camp Director Wendy Garrison said on Thursday. “Although China Spring is part of the courts and juvenile justice, we believe in treating and addressing the issues which brought the youth to the facility.”
The camp hasn’t been anything like a boot camp for 19 years, offering a variety of treatment for the youth sent there by 16 of Nevada’s 17 counties.
“While the youth are here, they also attend school, earn credits, some earn diplomas and even attend online college,” she said.
But convincing state officials that the program is worth funding was a critical fight during the past session of the Legislature, where the governor’s budget proposed cutting $1.2 million. That combined with an $800,000 reduction in Medicaid reimbursements due to the coronavirus outbreak, put the camp in real danger.
That uncertainty led staff members to seek employment elsewhere, which means the boys program will be paused while it is retooled.
“We are redefining job descriptions and pay scale with Douglas County,” Garrison said. “We start advertising next week to hire additional staff so we can bring the boys back in the fall.”
A compromise at the Legislature reduced the cut to $400,000 over the next three years while a committee reviews the program.
“We still do have a funding problem, so we have to leave some of the positions unfunded,” she said. “We are reorganizing the camp, so we have the number of staff we need to have available.”
She said they will be hiring as many as eight staff members in the first round.
“We are excited about this opportunity,” she said. “We are looking for staff who have an interest in working with boys.”
She said that the new staff will have an opportunity to help shape the program.
Some of the treatment China Spring provides includes training, classes, services and therapy for trauma, commercial sexual exploitation, domestic violence and anger.
China Spring also offers behavioral healthcare services, including services for people who have a substance use disorder as well as a mental health disorder.
“We provide services for the youth and their families,” Garrison said.
While the boys’ side is closed, Aurora Pines, which serves 16-20 girls will remain open.
“The girls’ program is still functioning and operational,” she said. “It is fully staffed with no issues.”
China Spring is located in the Pine Nut Mountains south of Highway 395. Originally opened on Aug. 1, 1983, the 40-acre camp site was donated by rancher Stoddard Jacobsen.
The camp closed for two years, but reopened after being redesigned by District Judge Norm Robison, who helped build the structure.
Aurora Pines, which will remain open, was added to house girls in 2002.
The camp accepts offenders ages 12-18 from every county except Clark, which has its own juvenile program. Those juveniles sent to China Spring cannot be convicted of a felony. The camp’s capacity is around 60.
