...I do not oppose the Caron Foundation and agree this is a great facility for troubled teens. However, I believe, the proposed location is not the appropriate location for a unsecured facility...
Not the Right Location for an Unsecured Adolescent Treatment Center:
I do not oppose the Caron Foundation and agree this is a great facility for troubled teens. However, I believe, the proposed location is not the appropriate location for a unsecured facility, near residences, established businesses, church with adjoining cemetery and a primary and elementary school.
Why opposition for this location:
The population density surrounding this location poses potential safety issues for the local residents. There is an adjoining cemetery frequented by elderly, they fear they are potential victims of any teen not wanting to stay at the facility and needing a vehicle and/or money to leave the area.
I recently visited Caron’s Pennsylvania location and the facility is ideally located on top of a mountain, less densely populated and no major businesses within walking distance of the facility. There is security staff located on the campus, to protect their client’s privacy and to secure/check all doors.
There are residents located in and around the campus, however, not as densely populated as the proposed GA site. There is nowhere for the adolescents to go, in PA, to pose great security concerns, as there would be in the Forsyth Co. location.
What local Pennsylvania Police have said:
“We have not really had any problems with the adult patients of Caron PA. However, we have had problems with patients from the Adolescence Center. Since this center open (approx early 1990), we have had the following incidents involving patients who walked away from the facility:
a) three (3) vehicles stolen
b) one (1) arrest for prowling outside of a business
c) one (1) attempted car jacking
We have also extended numerous man hours in attempting to locate patients who walked away.”
Other similar conversations with local law enforcement in PA, indicated they believe we would have more issues if our location is more densely populated then the PA location.
It has been noted, “Most of the time the adolescents don’t really want to be at the facility. Thus, they will use whatever means available to leave the area.”
Other concerns of the Community:
Please attend the Public Hearing July 25, 2006 at 6:30pm and the Board of Commissioners Meeting August 17, 2006 at 5pm, Administration Building, 110 East Main Street.
-Jackie Koman