On Tuesday, the City of Philadelphia was awarded a $1 million grant to create a 24/7 trauma-informed facility that will be an entry point into the criminal justice system for children who are arrested.

The city was one of five winners out of 35 finalists in the yearlong Bloomberg Philanthropies U.S. Mayors Challenge.

The location and an official timeline for the opening of the facility — named the Hub for Juvenile Justice Services — are still being determined, said Julie Wertheimer, the senior director of criminal justice reform strategies and programs. When implemented, expected city partners will be the Philadelphia Police Department (PPD), the Office of Criminal Justice and the Department of Human Services.

According to a release, the hub will provide “immediate screening, custody determinations, and access to various social service agencies and diversion programs” via a centralized model. It was tested between February and August 2018 thanks to a $100,000 grant from the Bloomberg challenge. This period informed the city’s proposal and improved the idea overall, Wertheimer said.

To read the full article by Grace Shallow, click here.