State cuts shutter two DSS homes

Two Spartanburg County group homes were among 15 facilities for abused, neglected and homeless children shut down last year because of state budget cuts and new federal regulations.

New Foundations Supervised Independent Living, apartments for homeless youth 16 to 21, and Ewing Lodge, a transition home for boys 13 to 18 years old, shut down in December.

Gaynelle West, the recently retired director of the DSS office in Spartanburg, was in charge of Ewing. She said the impact of the shutdown was "devastating" for the 10 boys living at the facility.

"It was almost as bad as when they came into care in the beginning," West said. "It was like a funeral."

West said one of the boys left Ewing and went to live with a sister. The others, all Spartanburg County residents, were split up and moved to homes in other parts of the state.

"It was like being evicted from your home for something that is not your fault," West said. "The caseworkers and the boys cried. Two of the boys were as close as if they were brothers."

West said children who undergo the trauma of separation often act out their frustrations with bad behavior, especially when a school change is involved.

"Some just completely withdraw," West said. "The boys were really close to their case

worker. One of them still calls her every week."

West said children moved away from their home areas end up as pawns in the system. Many of them, she said, have to undergo counseling.

"These children have already been a victim one time," West said. "Here they are getting uprooted again. Money is what drives it all."

West said the boys sent to Ewing and other long-term care facilities were children caseworkers were unable to place in foster care. She said most of them would probably be in the care system until they are required to leave, at age 18.

Mike Chesser, director of the Upstate Homeless Coalition, said New Foundation was moved to Anderson, but closed shortly after it relocated.

"We found housing for everybody that didn't want to relocated to Anderson," Chesser said. "One person moved to Anderson."

In Spartanburg, the independent-living apartments were operated under around-the-clock supervision of Anderson-based New Foundation. After the move, the management role switched to the Department of Mental Health.

Chessner said the state budget crunch that followed dried up funds that were being used to operate the program. Funding for the New Foundation apartments and programs came from federal grants and DSS.

Besides these long-term care facilities, some emergency children's shelters could close as well because of a Department of Social Services plan to place children removed from their homes with foster families immediately, as required by federal regulations.

Carolyn Orf, a Department of Social Services assistant director for foster care, said the agency didn't close the facilities, but it did withhold referrals.

"They didn't have enough census to cover their expenses," Orf said.

Orf cited the slow economy, the state's budget cuts and the push to put children in "therapeutic foster homes" as the reasons for shutting down the group homes.

She said the foster parents in therapeutic homes receive special training to deal with the children in long-term care.

Orf said it cost less to house children in foster homes than it does to keep them in a group home.

"We have to get the service for the children at a cheaper rate, and we can do that in a foster setting," Orf said.

Gary Henderson can be reached at 562-7230 or gary.henderson@shj.com

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