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Lily’s Place seeks old Highline property for community resource center; supporters urge board to grant site
Summary
Lily’s Place told the board it seeks the old Highline Elementary property to establish a family-centered community resource center; the organization described services for infants with NAS, residential treatment and outpatient behavioral health and said it has met with district staff and neighborhood groups.
Olivia Mead, finance director at Lily’s Place, returned to the Cabell County Schools board on April 1 to reiterate the nonprofit’s interest in the former Highline Elementary School property and to report community outreach with the nearby Highlawn Alliance.
“We have had some really great conversations over the last couple of weeks,” Mead said, noting meetings with Superintendent Hardesty and district staff member Mr. Boggs and ongoing discussions with Highlawn community representatives.
The nut graf: Lily’s Place said it would use the site to operate a community-oriented resource center that complements, rather than replaces, its existing programs — a neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) center for infants, residential treatment for pregnant and parenting mothers and outpatient behavioral-health services. Mead explained the grant funding for the proposed site is specifically for a community resource center and not for moving existing core programs.
Community member Carolyn Miller spoke in support and connected the nonprofit’s aims to prevention and family-services outcomes, saying the organization’s work could reduce future detention and delinquency by addressing addiction and family needs earlier. “I urge you to take advantage of this opportunity. Plant that seed,” Miller told the board.
Board members asked questions about current caseloads and volunteer support; Mead said licensing rules prevent the nonprofit from publicly stating the exact number of infants served on any given day, but she reported the NAS center has served more than 400 infants over its decade of operation and described continuing monthly follow-up clinics. Multiple board members and public commenters expressed support for the nonprofit’s application for the property. No formal disposition of the property request occurred at the meeting.
Ending: District staff said they will continue discussions with Lily’s Place and community groups; the board did not vote on a property transfer at the April 1 meeting.
