Location: Mount Sterling, Kentucky

The Gateway Juvenile Diversion project in Mount Sterling Kentucky is a Court diversion alternative to incarceration in a juvenile detention facility. It was formerly housed in a 1920's urban infill building in the historic district of Mount Sterling . In 2000, the Gateway Juvenile Diversion Project board began searching for a new home to accommodate the increased need for placement of residents due to the closure of similar facilities in the region. In 2001 the Gateway Juvenile Diversion Project purchased a landmark building originally constructed in 1887 as the National Hotel. Upon renovation, this building accommodates 14 male and 14 female residents. The program is best defined as a highly structured emergency shelter for juveniles in a group home setting. The program is equipped to provide residents with all domestic living services and accommodations for the duration of his / her placement.

The core of the building accommodates 28 residents, and is supplemented by a large commercial kitchen and dining room that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. The Montgomery County Public School System staffs a two-classroom education center to provide residents the opportunity to continue high school education during the course of placement. The recreation center has both indoor and outdoor components. These areas permit the resident an autonomous opportunity to exercise or relax as a part of the daily regiment. The on-site infirmary is constructed to meet the basic medical needs of the residents and includes an assessment center for transport to local hospitals if necessary. Program components also include staff offices for administration and program directors. The Gateway Juvenile Diversion Project utilizes 13,000 square feet of the approximately 24,000 square foot renovated National Hotel Building. The preservation of the historic character of this building is paramount in its rehabilitation, and is a priority for the Board and the funding institutions contributing the complex finance package assembled for this project.