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Ruth Myers adolescent center reopens with 10 beds after remodel but directors warn of high staff turnover and safety incidents
Summary
Northeast Human Service Center said it completed a major remodel of the Ruth Myers Adolescent Center to a 10‑bed facility but reported challenges staffing direct‑care roles, incidents of staff injury, and high temporary‑staffing costs earlier in the biennium.
Northeast Human Service Center told the Appropriations Committee it completed a multimillion‑dollar remodel of the Ruth Myers Adolescent Center (RMAC) and now has 10 beds available, but directors cautioned that retaining direct‑care staff and ensuring staff safety remain major operational challenges.
Regional Director Jeff McKinnon said RMAC's remodel (work described between Oct. 4, 2003 and Nov. 15, 2004 in his testimony) improved clinical spaces and classrooms and restored a full 10‑bed capacity. He said recent hiring activity and block‑grant funding added five direct‑care associate positions in the past two months, and that occupancy was moving from roughly five beds toward full staffing and utilization.
McKinnon described earlier reliance on a national contract nursing vendor (Prime Time Healthcare) to maintain operations when local staffing was insufficient; he said the facility paid about $587,000 for those contract staff earlier in the biennium. He also told the committee staff have experienced physical aggression from some residents, including instances of broken legs and concussions, and said the center has increased staff training and deployed additional supervisors.
Why it matters: RMAC provides a local residential option for adolescents whose needs exceed outpatient levels; high turnover, safety incidents and expensive temporary staffing threaten continuity and budget sustainability.
McKinnon said recent staffing hires should allow the center to scale up to full occupancy in coming months and emphasized the importance of sustaining workforce and training funding to avoid expensive contract staffing.
