State Sen. Keturah J. Herron, D-Louisville, is proposing legislation to establish a dedicated Juvenile Services Fund, as part of her ongoing work to transform the state’s juvenile justice system by investing in community-based, youth-centered solutions.
The proposed bill, which Herron intends to file for the 2026 Regular Session, would create a trust and agency fund within the Department of Juvenile Justice. The fund would support services aimed at preventing juvenile delinquency, reducing incarceration, and helping justice-involved youth return to their communities with the tools they need to succeed.
If enacted, the fund would provide targeted support in four critical areas:
- Delinquency prevention and early intervention programs.
- Wraparound services for justice-involved youth and their families.
- Community-based alternatives to detention.
- Reentry programs and facilities that help youth safely and successfully transition back into their communities.
Herron’s proposal seeks to appropriate $9.6 million in state General Fund dollars for the 2026–2027 fiscal year to launch the initiative. The fund would also be eligible for federal grants and private contributions.
“This is about meeting young people where they are and making sure we aren’t throwing them away,” Herron said. “Too often, we’ve defaulted to incarceration instead of intervention. This bill gives us a way to build a stronger support system that keeps youth in their communities, addresses trauma, and creates opportunities for real change.”
In the last fiscal year, Kentucky spent nearly $60 million on juvenile facility operations and renovations across the state. Senator Herron’s proposal aims to shift that focus by investing in programs that keep youth out of incarceration, support families, and offer real opportunities for long-term success. The Juvenile Services Fund would redirect resources toward services that work, rather than continuing to pour funding into facilities that often fail to address the root causes of justice involvement.
“We cannot keep investing in bricks and bars while ignoring the needs of our kids,” Herron added. “This fund is about shifting our priorities and making sure our dollars go to what actually works—keeping young people out of the system, in their communities, and on a better path forward.”
The 2026 General Assembly convenes on Jan. 6.
(Photo courtesy of Meltzer & Bell, P.A.)
By Tom Latek, Kentucky Today
