State lawmakers schedule hearing after Harwinton group home allegations

State lawmakers will hold a public hearing concerning allegations of child maltreatment at a state-funded group home in Harwinton.

The Committee on Children will launch an internal investigation into the matter and hold a public hearing at the Legislative Office Building Oct. 10 at 1p.m., according to Rep. Liz Linehan, who co-chairs the committee.

The informational hearing will focus on The Bridge Family Center's Short Term Assessment and Respite (STAR) Home in Harwinton.

"We want to make sure that the adults in their lives are doing the right thing," Linehan said. "That is what we are going to get the bottom of - what can we do to ensure the adults, the system, and the state are doing right by these children?"

Linehan said the hearing will give the committee the opportunity to have their questions answered publicly. They will be inviting key stakeholders to testify.

The Bridge Family Center is contracted by the Connecticut Department of Children and Families (DCF) to provide temporary emergency housing for youth. According to a spokesperson for DCF, the youth placed into STAR programs have experienced trauma or other factors in their homes which have impacted their behaviors. He described it as an emergency shelter for young people who cannot remain safely at home.

DCF Commissioner Vannessa Dorantes told NBC Connecticut that her team has been aware of various issues at the Harwinton home for more than a year. DCF received allegations of child maltreatment, high incidents of runaways and concerns surrounding a lack of appropriate response by the facility when youth were in crises.

DCF representatives have met with town officials, Connecticut State Police and other first responders, according to a spokesperson. The department issued a corrective action plan in July and gave the program 60 days to address the issues.

“We have halted admissions there, there is still one resident, child, that is still placed there, we have increased our support in terms of program leads, spending more time at the facility,” Dorantes said.

This week, the mother of a 14-year old girl filed a lawsuit against The Bridge Family Center. She alleged that her daughter sustained physical injuries, was exposed to sexual assault and suffered great fear, distress, shame and humiliation while she lived at Harwinton location between about April 25 and June 26.

Lawsuit filed against Harwinton group home alleges physical abuse, exposure to sex abuse

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The executive director of The Bridge Family Center, Margaret Hann, told NBC Connecticut that her team has made sweeping changes in Harwinton; six out of their 10 staff members are no longer employed with the facility.

Hann sent an updated statement Friday.

"Last year alone, we served the needs of more than 9,000 people through our programs, many of whom have suffered through unimaginable situations," Hann wrote in part. "The allegations that have come forward are something that we never want to see happen to anyone and because it is now a legal matter, we cannot discuss it publicly."

Hann also said that immediate and corrective measures were taken and they are in constant communication with DCF.

“Our main focus continues to be addressing the immediate and day-to-day needs of our residents, many of whom are trauma survivors through no fault of their own and to offer them care and the support that they need and deserve," Hann said.

Harwinton Ambulance Chief Kevin Ferrarotti wrote a letter of concern to DCF and state lawmakers in May after his team tracked a "drastic" increase in calls to the home. He said that the STAR home had numerous incidents including assaults, sexual assault and misconduct involving residents and staff.

“This is a strain on our resources. It is a public health emergency," Ferrarotti said. “We want to see a viable, sustainable solution so that these teenage kids can get the help that they truly need.”

Ferrarotti said he is grateful that DCF and state lawmakers are looking into the concerns.