'That was a symptom of kids staying in real restrictive settings too long. 'It started off because we projected a deficit of $4 million in our budget,' Alberque said. We historically have not done a great job in getting kids out fast enough.'Ī larger goal of DCF is to move children into foster homes. the psychiatric care is more closely managed, and the length of stay for kids is hopefully shorter. We're trying to utilize Medicaid-funded beds.

'This diverted kids that might have been referred to The Brown Schools. In January, the state began relying more on SIPP providers, said Florence Alberque, district program manager for the DCF. Doing so would have helped it qualify as an SIPP provider. The hope then was to have the Pembroke Pines center earn accreditation from the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, Huggins said.

The Brown Schools center in Pembroke Pines opened last October. SIPP providers can use more state and federal dollars than others.

Slowly, the 67-bed center in Pembroke Pines is relocating its remaining handful of juveniles to facilities certified under the Statewide Inpatient Psychiatric Program, she said. 'This was part of strategic decision to close a small program and focus our efforts on the larger facility. 'We are still very, very committed to being in Florida,' Huggins said. Huggins stressed the company plans to keep its Family Assessment Center Shelter open in Fort Lauderdale as well as programs in South Florida and across the state in Gainesville, Ocala and Lecanto. 'Because admission had curtailed, the program was no longer financially viable.' 'We regret, but it was a necessary business decision,' said Diane Huggins, spokeswoman for The Brown Schools in Nashville, Tenn.

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