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Published May 18, 2006
Highfields gets OK to reopen youth residential program
State gives Onondaga facility 6-month
provisional license
By Stacey Range
Lansing State Journal
Highfields Inc.'s embattled youth residential program will reopen
soon with a six-month provisional state license.
The state on Wednesday approved the facility's corrective action
plan, which has been in development since allegations of abuse
surfaced in February. Among changes put forth:
• More training and screening of staff.
• Increased staff-to-resident ratio.
• Mandated logging of all shift incidents by staff before they
can leave for the day.
Key among the changes will be making sure that all staff
understand that the program is not a boot camp where kids can be
roughed up, said Keith Groty, chairman of the Highfields board of
directors.
"We need to make sure they have the skills and competency to
implement our new plan," he said. "We can't and don't want to risk
this occurring again."
Groty said it's possible that not all of the 71 workers laid off
in February will meet the center's new training and aptitude
requirements.
Those who are allowed to return will be given a full week of
training before the program reopens, which Groty said wouldn't be
for at least a few weeks.
"We have some logistical things to do first," he said.
The residential program at the Onondaga-based home for juvenile
offenders has been closed since Feb. 22, a few days after the state
and Ingham County judges pulled 33 youths from it.
Among the substantiated charges were that a Highfields worker
shoved a boy's face into the snow after the 15-year-old refused to
shovel a sidewalk; another counselor allowed some boys to haze a
newcomer by pelting him with shaving cream cans, spoiled milk,
shampoo and other personal care products while in the shower; and
two other counselors marched an angry boy around outside in the cold
without a coat or shoes.
The state earlier this month began proceedings to revoke the
facility's license unless administrators developed a suitable
corrective action plan addressing safety, communication and staff
training.
Plan 'impressive'
Miriam Bullock, division director of the state Department of
Human Services' Office of Children and Adult Licensing, said
Wednesday that Highfields' corrective action plan was among the best
efforts she's seen.
"It was quite impressive really, the seriousness with which they
addressed the issues and the detail they put into it," Bullock said.
"It obviously took a long time. They dissected the incidents and
looked at what needed to be done."
Bullock said she also was pleased with the hiring this week of
Larry Miesner, an adjunct criminal justice professor at Michigan
State University and former chief of Michigan's Bureau of Juvenile
Justice, on a four-month contract as interim president and chief
executive officer.
"An organization's willingness to replace at the top is usually a
sign that things can turn around," Bullock said.
Six-month window
The provisional license means that Highfields has a six-month
window to show the state it has made needed changes. If no more
violations are found, the center will get a regular two-year
license.
The state allows up to four, six-month provisional licenses,
Bullock said.
Steve Swart, who has worked as a residential counselor at
Highfields since 2003, said he's eager to get back to work.
"I really miss working with the kids," said Swart, 32.
"It's a shame what ended up happening - with it shutting down.
There were some things some people did wrong, but overall a lot of
good things were happening for the kids."
Still, Swart said, he welcomes any changes that can better the
program.
"There's always room to improve," he said.
"This will just be an opportunity for us to do even better work."
Contact Stacey Range at 377-1157 or
srange@lsj.com. |
