Teen treatment center closed by DCF Posted on Fri, Feb. 08, 2008
By ROBERTO SANTIAGO rsantiago@MiamiHera ld.com function J. ALBERT DIAZ/MIAMI HERALD STAFF
A resident of The Starting Place Samantha Mendez, 15, left, hugs her mother Marijon Harris who arrived from Coral Springs to pick her up on Friday.
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At 4 p.m. Saturday, the 45 teens who have lived at a Hollywood rehabilitation center will be forced to find another place to live. Citing mismanagement and a second police investigation that may involve child abuse, the state Department of Children & Families decided to shutter the residency program on Thursday.
''It pained me to make this decision, but based upon what we learned, continuing residency could compromise the safety of the children,'' said Bill Janes of DCF.
''I would not have done this if this was not a serious matter,'' he said.
The 38-year-old program will still continue its out-patient drug and mental health services, Janes said. But the in-house program, a drug and mental health treatment center for teens, will cease.
Broward County's Human Services Department immediately cut its nearly $900,000 annual funding after DCF rendered its decision.
DCF is working with parents and their displaced children to find suitable treatment alternatives.
On Friday, Marijon Harris of Coral Springs drove down to pick up up her 15-year-old daughter, Samantha.
They stood outside, holding hands, concerned about the future.
''I've only completed one month of my six-month residency here, but I am a new person,'' a tearful Samantha said, embracing her mother. The teen spoke about her drug abuse, self-mutilation and abusive attitude toward her mother. And how the counselors had helped her recognize roots of her behavior and how to change it.
Samantha was part of The Beach House, the ''downstairs' ' program on the bottom floors of the building that deals with both mental and substance abuse. The Starting Place in the ''upstairs'' of the two-story building deals solely with substance abuse.
It is ''upstairs'' that an employee was arrested for having sex with a 16-year-old in November 2006.
That case has yet to go to trial.
On Tuesday, Janes was told of a second police investigation, apparently related to child abuse.
Parents and children who were part of the ''upstairs program'' declined to comment.
''What happened upstairs hurt and destroyed all of the good work being done downstairs,' ' Harris said. ``And it hurts me that just as my daughter is making significant progress, we have to start again somewhere else.'' Cyndi Harbour of Plantation had come to pick up her son, Daniel, 17, who had just graduated from The Beach House's seven-month program on Friday. Both mother and son praised therapists whose work helped get Daniel off drugs, find purpose in life, embrace his studies and, above all, end the family estrangement.
''I used drugs, got into trouble, but people like Miss Mary, they just opened my eyes,'' said Daniel, who looked lovingly at his mother. Both The Beach House and The Starting Place could reapply for licenses after a year, Janes said.
If they reorganize properly, establish safe protocol for the teens and meet state and community approvals, the programs could start anew in the same building.
''There is still hope -- in the future,'' Janes said.
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