A current parent who wishes to stay anonymous has shared this email from Mike O’Toole (FHW’s VP of Operations) with me and asked that I make it public. Family Help & Wellness is trying to prevent the closure of yet another one of their programs due to financial hardships. From what this parent shared, parents are pulling their children after the executive director, admissions director, and 4 therapist resigned due to the parent company’s involvement. The parent who sent me this email states their census will be down to four students by the end of May.

Dear Magnolia Mill School Parents,

Meg shared with me concerns parents have voiced last night around the outlook for the program as there is significant concern around what FHW’s intent is considering all of the recent transition and changeover. Likewise, a few parents have reached out to me directly with those concerns to which I have replied to them and continue to have some dialogue. As such, I thought it best to provide some general guidance around as to how FHW views the program.

Where we are today with Magnolia Mill School is not where we would like to be and definitely not what was expected, anticipated, or wanted. We lost some therapists we did not anticipate or want to see go in a short time period that should have been avoided as it is disruptive and not conducive to treatment. There has never been the intent to close the program and we have continuously expressed our commitment to leadership of the program that does not seem to have been passed on and confidence in the future of the program modeled as we would expect.

We continue to work with the existing Core Team members to support them and work through them as they have the most oversight to who interacts with your daughters on a daily basis. This would be Carol Sower, Academic Director, Kim Gregory Program Director, Terry Kozak Equine Manager and Jana Eilermann Co Clinical Director. These people have generally have a long tenure with the program and/or have significant experience in treating and caring mental health issues.

We are working through Jana Eilermann to lead and support the Clinical Team and will add therapists as needed to support the treatment of the kids in the program as well as future kids considering the program. We are considering one or two potential admits who are a fit for the program but have not committed yet as we make sure we can adequately serve existing students and not over-extend existing therapists.

We started the Executive Director search April 1st and continue to work on finding the right candidate. We have an offer outstanding to an Admissions Director candidate and plan on filling that position as well. Likewise, we are committed to the employees on site and have confidence in the outlook for the program. We will be filling any further positions as needed to the extent there is further turnover. As key positions are filled, we will communicate and share with you these changes and improvements.

We are looking to establish ongoing dialogue with each of you and the core team as these people have the most interaction with your daughters and that has not changed nor do we plan on changing.

Lastly, we have operated at Magnolia Mill School for quite a while. We have seen it successfully run before and it is easily capable of operating and serving 20-30 kids. We are committed to rebuilding and realizing that goal because we continue to have a great team in place and will invest in the right leadership and support.

I appreciate and understand the concerns you have raised around the viability of the program and am hopeful this helps to alleviate your concerns about our continued commitment to the program, our employees and the treatment of your daughters. We continue to believe they remain in safe hands and are hopeful you chose to remain with us through the unanticipated change in front of us. We know you have choices and we will continue to support your family for the remainder of time you remain with us and through any transition.

Thanks,

Mike

Mike O’Toole Pronouns: he, him, his VP Operations Family Help and Wellness 360.839.4560| [email protected] 530 Center St. NE, Suite 700 Salem, OR 97301

www.famhelp.com