Group to terminate youth home contracts with Oklahoma

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – A company that provides services for youth homes in Oklahoma is terminating its contracts with the state, bringing the state’s net loss of group beds since 2012 to nearly 130.

The Oklahoman reports that White Fields has announced plans to terminate their Piedmont group home contracts with the Oklahoma Department of Human Services, which will take effect at the end of April.

White Fields board member Greg Dewey says the decision was due to a major shift in the types of children DHS is sending to the organization.

Dewey says White Fields was established to help severely abused children, but DHS is now sending children who are mentally ill. He says treating children with mental illnesses would require more money.

A DHS spokeswoman says any loss of group beds makes “placing higher-needs kids” more difficult.