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| "Arkansas' Voice on the Internet" | Previous Features / Investigations |
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Two submit bids to run youth center RACHEL O'NEAL ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE The Department of Human Services received two proposals this week to run the state's Youth Services Center in Alexander. Department Director Kurt Knickrehm said Tuesday that he had expected more proposals and was disappointed that only two were submitted by the deadline Monday. July 1 is the target date to have the facility privatized. "We got letters of interest from 10 or 11 companies," he said. He said, though, that the two companies that submitted proposals "are worthy, respected groups." The proposals were from Corrections Corporation of America of Nashville, Tenn., which runs private prisons in other states, and from Rivendell Management Co., which runs Alexander's educational system. Knickrehm said a team will evaluate and grade the proposals on quality of care, safety and experience in the field. If neither company is deemed qualified, the department may decide to seek other proposals or to back off from privatizing the center, Knickrehm said. The center is run by the Youth Services Division, one of the department's 11 divisions. In June the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette published a series of articles about conditions in division facilities, including some instances of abuse and mismanagement. Since then, the division has been working on fixing the problems. For months the department has discussed privatizing some aspects of the division. Russell Rigsby of Jonesboro took over as division director Jan. 13, replacing Paul Doramus of Benton, who resigned last November because of job stress. Before he left, Doramus was looking into privatization. Rivendell has an $827,475 contract with the state to provide regular, special and vocational education to youths housed at the Alexander center. The contract became effective Dec. 1, 1998. Rivendell provides 21 instructors, including seven special education teachers and a speech pathologist. The students attend classes for six hours a day, five days a week. Before the Rivendell contract, students attended classes two to three hours a day, five days a week. This article was published on Wednesday, April 21, 1999 Copyright, permissions and privacy policy Copyright © 2008, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc. All rights reserved. This document may not be reprinted without the express written permission of Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc. |
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