Job Corps Stuck in Limbo as Judges and Politicians Weigh Cuts
Well, it's true what they say: bureaucracy takes time. And while judges and politicians draft bills and weigh testimony, life still goes on. In this case, that means homeless teenagers in the Delaware Valley remain tethered to indecision well out of their hands as the center's staff deal with the very circumstances they've dedicated years to preventing: job insecurity. This is a life in limbo resting on the hands of the powers at be four states away in Washington D.C.
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) was just one of the politicians aiming to end this precariousness. The Senate Appropriations Committee, of which she is a member, is currently ironing out the budget for July 2026-July 2027, the upcoming fiscal term. If the group follows President Trump's requests, Job Corps sites across the country, including in Sullivan County, would shut down next year. But a proposal has been introduced to prevent this. Jennifer Cha, the Associate Vice President of Programs and Regional Operations for Adams and Associates (the organization that runs the Job Corps center), is cautiously optimistic. She said the proposal is a good sign and that the budget will be announced in the near future. "The congressional pieces hopefully were or will be worked through in September and landing in October when the budget actually goes through. As I understand the timeline, hopefully within the next 60 days we would have some really firm grasp."
But the funding for the current year is also being jeopardized. Months ago, after receiving notification of immediate termination, staff were told to send all the program's participants home within a week, says Cha:
"In many cases, young people who participate in the program do not have the average supports that somebody would have. They may be homeless, for example. Or, they may not have the means to have that same support structure normally without the program. And so being quickly sent [out of the] center to what, in many cases, is unstable housing, non-existent housing, [or] unsafe housing without any pre-warning, is obviously extremely destabilizing."
An injunction was granted by the judge to pause the termination notice while its legality is weighed in courts. The center has returned to full function but Cha estimates as many as 40% of the youth that were sent home have not returned. Also, new enrollment in the program is usually rolling, but has been on pause. "We have, 17,000 young people nationally who have actually applied to the program since March. But because the background checks were paused in March, which is required for enrollment into the Job corps program, those 17,000 people have been denied the opportunity to pursue this training... that will provide for them and their family in the future."
Cha has noticed widespread support among Delaware Valley, which brings her, the staff, and the residents comfort as they wrestle with uncertainty. "The way the community has really rallied around... has been a boon for for us and for everybody at the center." She encourages interested families to apply now as the waitlist for background checks continues to pile up. Regardless of the setbacks, the mission of Job Corps has not wavered. "This is a life changer," Cha reflected.
