Gov. Mike DeWine showed up in Grafton on Tuesday with a shovel and a plan: two new Ohio Department of Youth Services housing units that are supposed to finally retire the long-troubled Cuyahoga Hills juvenile complex in Highland Hills.
The state’s blueprint calls for two 36-bed units in Grafton and two more 36-bed units in Bedford. Together, they are set to replace the current 180-bed Cuyahoga Hills facility, shifting Ohio’s juvenile system toward smaller, campus-style housing, the state says, which will be safer for both youth and staff.
The governor’s appearance and the formal announcement were first covered by WOIO, which reported that the ceremony took place in Grafton and noted a governor’s office spokesperson citing studies that favor smaller juvenile facilities. As WOIO reported, the four new 36-bed sites are intended to fully replace Cuyahoga Hills.
What The New Centers Will Look Like
The Ohio Department of Youth Services says the first phase will feature two different 36-bed designs, each tailored to the selected properties in Grafton and Bedford. The agency says the setups will emphasize trauma-responsive programming along with tested security features, aiming for a setting that feels more like treatment than a warehouse.
According to the DYS Juvenile Justice Working Group update, schematic designs are being finalized now, and the agency expects the first of the new centers to open sometime in calendar years 2027–2028.
Why Smaller Facilities?
Lawmakers and youth justice advocates are betting that shrinking facility size will pay off in several ways. The smaller units are pitched as a way to reduce violence inside the facilities, ease chronic staffing shortages, and keep young people closer to their families, support networks, and local services.
As outlined in an Ohio House news release, the state Controlling Board approved $130 million in capital funding to move the project forward. Supporters framed that move as an effort to bring Ohio’s juvenile system in line with current best practices for rehabilitation.
Next Steps And Timeline
With money in hand and the ceremonial dirt turned, DYS says it will now shift from schematic design into full-blown construction. The agency expects work to roll forward over the next year and into 2027, as the new facilities take shape on the Grafton and Bedford sites.
According to the DYS update, later transformation phases will target other state facilities, including Indian River and Circleville. In the meantime, the agency plans to coordinate closely with county partners and juvenile courts on placements while the new centers come online.
