HomeMy WebLinkAbout1516 REMINGTON, REMINGTON HOUSE GROUP HOME - PDP - 11-00 - MINUTES/NOTES - CORRESPONDENCE-NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING (3)NFTGHBORHOOD INFOF- IATION MEETING
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d Attendees: PIease sign this sheet. The information will be used to
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Q: So they are required to do chores?
A: Yes
Comment: Chores are good therapy.
Q: How do you handle rebellious kids?
A: They are selectively assigned to even be here. When we get one, staff is trained to
handle it. Kids are held accountable for their actions. We have zero tolerance for
unacceptable behavior. They will get moody, but staff is trained to deal with it.
Q: Do you have knowledge where all the kids are at all times, are they with staff or at a
specific location at all times?
A: Yes.
Q: Where do the kids go when they are done?
A: Some go to College, some into athletics, some the military, some back to their family
of origin, some become emancipated, and we do have some failures too.
Q: What percentage go back to family?
A: About 80%, but it's hard to measure success.
Q: Where will the kids currently in Youth SAFE be relocated?
A: They've already started placing them elsewhere and have begun the closing transition.
They've stopped accepting new placements quite a while back in anticipation of closing.
4 are left, they all have a place arranged.
Comment: Conducting foster care is less expensive than conducting a residential care
facility. The state pays more for residential care facility.
Comment: Some of the kids tell us that the time they spend with us has been the best
weeks of their lives. At Youth SAFE, the kids volunteered to help at the Good Samaritan
retirement home, and they loved it. Both the kids and the seniors enjoyed the time
together. Also we had some of them reading to toddlers, and they ate it up. We have
some events like going to the zoo and/or skiing. Given the right opportunities, these kids
will rise to the occasion.
Q: Is there really a demand for this type of facility?
A: Yes, 60% of local kids that are placed in residential treatment facilities are placed out
of Larimer County.
Comment: Is seems sensible that when the county population grows, the need for this
type of facility will also grow.
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Q: How many bathrooms?
A: 5, there will be separate boys and girls bathrooms.
Q: Will this lower our property values?
A (applicant): Usually the property values go up near our facilities because we typically
provide a higher level of cosmetic care of the property than previous owners. We have
investment in the property so we take good care of it. Youth SAFE did not affect adjacent
property values. The kids will trim hedges and pick up trash etc.
Q: How is a new foster child generally placed in this facility.
A: When we already have several 15 — 16 year olds we tend to choose similar age kids
for placement. There is quite a bit of pre -planning work that goes into placing a kid. We
will be good property owners and the kids will be good tenants.
Comment: 17 and 18 year olds are really adults in my mind. 20 kids is a lot bigger task
that 8. A mixed -family household without brothers, sisters, or parents could be risky.
Supervise them well.
Response (by applicant): Group homes are not subject to the limitation on unrelated
residents. It is difficult to find facilities that will physically work. 75% of the Youth
SAFE staff will be employed at this facility, so the supervisors already have quite a bit of
experience.
Comment (by applicant): This location is prime for these kids. The old FCHS building
has the Youth Activity Center in it, the CSU running track is 2 block away. The former
location of Youth SAFE was rater isolated so kids had to be trucked to and from
recreation activities.
Q: Do these kids have jobs?
A: Some do (up to 20 hours a week).
Q: What is the average stay of the kids?
A: 6 months to a year and a half, but the state actually would like a shorter average.
Comment: As a neighbor, we commend you guys!
Comment: Students in public schools may do better in this type of facility.
Response: We can manage kids effectively with enough staff.
Comment: Walk us through a typical with 16 residents.
Response: Wake up, clean room, showers, breakfast, half of the kids then go to other
places. Staff remaining would consist of a teacher, a therapist, a councilor, and a cook. A
lot of therapy goes on in the evening when the family is off anyway. With direct care we
have 4 to 5 staff with a therapist. Evening is chore time, cleaning, homework, free -time,
off to bed. Staff change over has an overlap from 1 Opm to 11:30 because bedtime is the
most hectic.
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A: More during the day for treatment, but at least 1 adult staff per 4 kids.
Q: Will the kids go to public school?
A: Some will go to public school, some will be schooled on site.
Q: Adult supervisors?
A: For 20 kids, the state would require at least 1 staff, we would have 3 to 4.
Q: Will this require a major remodel of the building?
A: It really won't require much work, remodeling will be rather limited?
Q: 12 to 18 is quite a spread in age, how are the children supervised (i.e. age 12 vs. age
18, male vs. female)?
A: Rooms are not coed. Girls are down one hall, boys down the other. The hall will have
sensors and cameras. There will be awake staff at all times. When placing children in the
facility, the age of the current residents will be a factor in whether or not a child is placed
in this facility.
Q: Will meals be provided?
A: Yes, the kids also must help participate in cooking.
Comment: Your willingness to take on this many children with this facility, I find
commendable.
Comment: We didn't realize that there are so many local children in need.
Comment (applicant): Unfortunately about 60% of the local kids placed in foster care
must be placed outside of Larimer County because there simply are not enough local
places to put them.
Comment: There is currently a tremendous problem in the alley between College Avenue
and Remington (a block from here). John Clark, the former County Commissioner, says
don't walk in that alley, it's not safe. We've owned property in the 1500 block of
Remington for over 30 years. We currently don't have the parking problem we use to
have when the old High School was in use. There used to be somewhat of a trash
accumulation problem but it has cleaned up considerable in recent years.
Comment: When the group home was appr6ved for 8 kids, we didn't have a problem with
it. When the building was a fraternity, we didn't have too many problems with that
particular fraternity.
Q: I wonder if the facility can be managed effectively with 20 kids?
A: We are hiring 70% of the staff that ran the Youth SAFE who have a great deal of
experience in running this scale of a residential treatment group home. We have a large
enough building for over 30 residents, but we only want a maximum of 20 (will average
16). We are not going to be using the basement.
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City of Fort Collins
Comm ty Planning and Environmenta: xvices
Current Planning
NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING
for 1516 Remington
conducted March 20, 2000 by Troy Jones
Q: Tell us about Jacob Family Services.
A: It's a non-profit organization; we currently have foster child placements in Fort
Collins, Longmont and Greeley; we serve kids in crisis between the ages of 12 and 18;
have been in operation for 12 years.
Q: Will these be problem kids?
A: The kids will have a variety of problems. Some are kids that have had behavioral
problems with their parents at home, others have problem parents. The kids will be
treated with a step-down system: they start here, then are placed in a foster home with
foster parents, then eventually will go back to their homes. 60% of the foster kids
originating in Larimer County are placed outside of the county.
Q: Is this Group Home because the kids can't go to foster homes?
A: This facility will provide residential treatment for kids to stabilize them to be able to
foster homes at some point in the future.
Q: Is Jacob Family Services affiliated with Mountain Crest Hospital?
A: No.
Q: How are you funded?
A: State contracts per child.
Q: Are there children placed at the Jacob Family Service's 633 Remington office?
A: No, but we have 4 foster children placed at 722-724 Smith Street (located there 7-8
years) and we have 4 placed at 703 Peterson.
Q: Will there always be 20 foster kids placed in the facility?
A: This facility will be effectively replacing the Youth SAFE facility which had an
average of 16.5 kids at any one time. This facility should see a similar average.
Q: What is your motivation to do this (not the profit)?
A: The kids! I've been working with troubled kids for 13 years, and helping them gives a
great sense of satisfaction.
Q: How many staff will there be per kid?
281 North College Avenue • PO. Box 580 • Fort Collins, CO 80522-0580 • (970) 221-6750 • FAX (970) 416-2020