KidsPeace announced today that it plans to close its residential treatment program in Bowdon, Georgia, and cease operations in the state by the end of 2026, concluding more than two decades of service to children and families across Georgia.
The decision comes amid significant and sustained financial pressures associated with providing residential mental and behavioral healthcare in the state. For years, reimbursement rates for services provided at Bowdon have not kept pace with the rising costs and increasing complexity of care, creating a financial gap that KidsPeace determined was no longer sustainable.
Michael W. Slack, KidsPeace President and CEO, said the decision was made only after extensive efforts to identify a viable path forward for the program.
“This is an incredibly difficult decision because of what Bowdon has meant to KidsPeace, to our local community and, most importantly, to the more than 1,000 young people who have received care here over the past 22 years,” said Slack. “Our associates in Georgia have provided exceptional care and have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to our mission. This decision is in no way a reflection of them or the quality of the services they provide.”
Most of the youth served at the Bowdon facility are referred through the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice and the Division of Family and Children Services. As a result, the program relies largely on state reimbursement rates to support the costs of providing specialized residential treatment and care for these at-risk youth. However, those rates have remained largely unchanged for many years and have not kept pace with rising operational expenses, workforce costs and the increasing complexity of care.
KidsPeace and its community partners have advocated for years for reimbursement levels that more accurately reflect the actual cost of care. While modest increases have been proposed over time, they have not been sufficient to close the widening gap between reimbursement and the cost of delivering services. Despite repeated efforts to bring these concerns to the attention of state leaders and identify a sustainable path forward, the financial shortfall continued to grow.
“We have worked alongside our community partners to make state leaders aware of the growing disparity and the impact it has on our ability to sustain these services,” Slack said. “We explored operational efficiencies, alternative service models and other options that would allow us to remain in Georgia. Unfortunately, we could not identify a financially sustainable path forward. Reaching this decision is painful, but it is necessary to protect the long-term strength of KidsPeace and our ability to continue delivering our mission in the communities we serve.”
KidsPeace opened its Bowdon program in 2004 to provide residential treatment and support for youth ages 12 to 17 with significant mental and behavioral health needs. The facility is currently licensed for 80 beds and employs approximately 100 associates.
Associates at the Bowdon facility were formally notified of the planned closure. KidsPeace has developed a transition plan focused on ensuring continuity of care for the youth currently served at Bowdon and supporting affected associates throughout the wind-down process.
Slack also recognized the longstanding support KidsPeace has received from the Bowdon, Carroll County and greater West Georgia communities.
“For 22 years, this community has welcomed KidsPeace, supported our associates and believed in the work being done for children,” Slack said. “We are profoundly grateful for that partnership. Bowdon will always hold an honored place in the history of KidsPeace, and we will always be proud of the difference our Georgia associates have made in the lives of children and families.”
Since 1882, KidsPeace has been building on its expertise to give hope, help and healing to children, adults and those who love them. Through its comprehensive range of residential treatment programs; accredited educational services; unique psychiatric hospital and foster care and community-based programs, KidsPeace is dedicated to helping people connect, transform and overcome their challenges to ensure a stable future, transition to adulthood and gain independence. Since its doors opened, more than 300,000 children have participated in one of the multitude of programs KidsPeace offers.
For additional resources or more information on how to get involved, become a foster parent or make a donation, please visit www.kidspeace.org. Follow us at www.facebook.com/kidspeace.org or on Twitter @KidsPeace.