More cases of abuse at Highfields, state
says
Ingham cancels
payments to troubled facility
By T.M. Shultz
Lansing State Journal
February 17, 2006
The state substantiated more
incidents of abuse over the past two years at Highfields, Ingham
County commissioners learned Thursday before they canceled payments
to the center.
Beginning today, Ingham County will
no longer pay Highfields Inc. - an Onondaga facility where troubled
boys receive court-ordered treatment - $160,437 a month for 24 beds.
That decision came on the heels of
Ingham County family court judges' removing 18 youngsters Tuesday
after receiving two recent reports of staff members mistreating
boys.
On Thursday, Travis Faulds, director
of juvenile services for the court, told commissioners that 13
additional allegations against Highfields employees involving
youngsters from several counties had surfaced.
Seven were substantiated by the state
Department of Human Services; some involved physical and mental
abuse, Faulds said.
Highfields President Jim Hines
defended the facility's mostly positive record. "We work with some
difficult individuals," he told the committee. "That means we must
work hard and well."
That doesn't excuse improper staff
behavior, he said.
It would be unlawful for the county
to continue paying Highfields because no Ingham youngsters are being
served there now, county attorney John McGlinchey and Deputy
Controller John Neilsen told the county board Thursday.
Recent allegations include taking a
boy outside improperly clothed, and a boy being threatened or
assaulted by other boys in a shower area. The state and Ingham
County Sheriff's Office are investigating.
Court officials say the charges are
"very serious," and they will no longer send children to Highfields
unless drastic changes are made at all management levels.
Faulds said that in the past 48
hours, the court has received at least four additional allegations
of abuse at Highfields.
Highfields' internal investigation
was completed Thursday, but Hines said he would not release the
results until he's had time to notify his staff.
Twenty-four youngsters remain at
Highfields in other programs from other counties.
Highfields' total annual budget is
$6.5 million to $7 million. Losing $2 million will have serious
financial consequences for the facility, Hines said, but it will not
close. Instead, arrangements are being made to fill the empty Ingham
County beds with youngsters from other statewide programs.
Contact T.M. Shultz at 377-1061 or
tshultz@lsj.com.
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