DCYF looking to relocate 10 children still at St. Mary’s Home for Children

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — The road to recovery continues at St. Mary’s Home for Children as officials look to relocate the handful of children still in their care. 

A spokesperson from DCYF convened an emergency meeting on May 16 to discuss relocating ten children who were still in St. Mary’s care.

The meeting comes months after a report on the severe conditions in the treatment center and DCYF’s takeover of the location.

DCYF stopped placing children in St. Mary’s care last year after reports of neglect, drug use, and children running away were brought up by the Office of the Child Advocate.

Those findings were then presented to the House Oversight Committee.

“Due to the lack of placements, this often leads to inappropriate and emergency placements based on availability, and not necessarily in accordance with clinical recommendations. This also leads to a lack of appropriate transition plans when youth no longer meet that level of care. Overall, the OCA has observed that inappropriate placements are being utilized when appropriate placements aren’t available.” said Katelyn Medeiros, the Acting Child Advocate.

Thursday’s private meeting meant to iron out those transition plans for the ten children still at St. Mary’s.

The site also recently announced new management by Tides Family Services, who will oversee operations at the North Providence location moving forward.

A spokesperson from DCYF sending ABC 6 a statement which said, “Transition planning for any or all of the 10 DCYF youth is ongoing.”

While this transition plan moves forward at St. Mary’s, the Department of Children and Family Services is also dealing with the new investigation into their work at Bradley Hospital.