DEARBORN HEIGHTS, Mich. (WXYZ) — One of Michigan's oldest child welfare organizations is making a major change that will impact nearly a dozen girls and more than 100 employees.
Vista Maria in Dearborn Heights announced this week it is ending its state contract for residential treatment, meaning 11 girls currently in their care will need to be relocated and roughly 150 staff members will be laid off.
Watch Brett Kast's video report below:
The organization, which began its work in Michigan in 1883, opened its residential treatment programs in 1976. After nearly 50 years of operation, CEO Kathy Regan says they're bringing it to an end.
"The model that we define as being Vista Maria no longer meets the realities of the kids that we care for as well as the regulatory structures we really have to operate in, so we deemed it best to exit," Regan said.
Vista Maria sent a letter to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services this week ending their state contract to provide residential treatment for girls ages 11 to 18. Many of the girls in their care have experienced abuse, neglect or trauma and are referred by the courts.
The program has significantly downsized over the years. Regan says Vista Maria once housed 150 girls but today, that number is only 11 — less than 5% of their overall work.
"We're in a mental health crisis as it is, and so the structures that surround that haven't really moved enough for us to safely handle the kids we do have," Regan said.
Vista Maria operates multiple programs beyond residential treatment.
"We do foster care, juvenile justice, independent living, we are a multi-service agency," Regan said.
Over the last year, the residential program faced scrutiny after a number of police and runaway calls and complaints about the program. During a tour of the facility, some girls in the program shared their experiences to 7 News Detroit anchor Carolyn Clifford.
"The staff is a lot more caring than my other placements. They treated us like criminals, we were locked out of our rooms... we couldn't do anything," said Jaedyn Main, a Vista Maria resident.
When asked about public criticism, resident Dynisti Porter said, "What is true is that Vista Maria is a place to help and heal the individuals."
Watch Carolyn Clifford's report from inside Vista Maria below:
MDHHS will relocate the 11 girls by mid-December. Vista Maria is not alone in this decision, according to Regan.
"We're not the first agency to close their residential program. We're probably in a line of 15," Regan said. "We've got a system that's overworked, and we really have to come to bear with some changes that need to occur."
Vista Maria plans to eventually repurpose the spaces once used for residential treatment.
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