Health Department Seeks Meeting With American Legion to Discuss Closing Indiana Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Children’s Home
The request came following a flurry of objections, doubt about the Health Department’s claim to have completed a three-year ‘study’ of the facility, and the announcement of legislative and popular opposition to the plan led by the Legion.
The ISDH has posted an Executive Summary of its findings on its official government web site, but according to an unidentified member of the Department of Health staff, “There was no official report.”
“I think what you’re talking about was our own internal staff working to find an organization to take over operations for the past few years. We had quite a few prospects take a look at the facility and the grounds. We are prepared to explain those ventures, but their assessments were never meant to be accumulated into a report. Each one was a separate undertaking to see what outside organizations thought of our operation. We will be discussing these tomorrow.”
The 125,000-member American Legion was thrust into leadership on the issue because of its long-standing financial and social support for the youngsters housed and educated at the home. Since 2001 alone, the Legion has contributed more than
The Legion passed a unanimous resolution during its annual Mid-Winter Conference in
The veterans were joined in similar resolutions passed by its women’s Auxiliary and the Sons of The American Legion, bringing to more than 200,000 the number of Legion Family members represented by the resolutions, and the ISSCH alumni organization and members of the General Assembly from both sides of the aisle have joined the effort.
The alumni association has announced plans for a rally at the Indiana Statehouse at
The Indiana State Department of Health executive summary and the Indiana American Legion’s resolution are posted on the Legion’s website, www.indlegion.org. Copies also are attached to this release.
The American Legion, Department of Indiana
RESOLUTION
Resolution Number: __________________________
Origin: Knightstown Home Committee
Date: January 11, 2009
Title: Opposes Closing the Indiana Soldiers and Sailors
Children's Home; Establishes A Temporary Committee
To Investigate The Proposal
WHEREAS, The American Legion was established in 1919 on principles set forth in the Preamble to the Constitution of The American Legion, among which are “to inculcate a sense of individual obligation to the community, state and nation … to safeguard and transmit to posterity the principles of justice, freedom and democracy;” [and] “to consecrate and sanctify our comradeship by our devotion to mutual helpfulness;” and
WHEREAS, The Indiana Soldiers and Sailors Children’s Home was originally established in 1865 as the Indiana Soldiers and Seaman’s Children’s Home to care for the orphans and destitute children of Union Civil War veterans and subsequently charged with the care of all veterans’ orphaned or destitute children; and
WHEREAS, The American Legion Department of
WHEREAS, The
WHEREAS, The welfare and best interest of present and future children residing at the Indiana Soldiers and Sailors Children’s Home should be precedent over all other concerns, including budgetary; and
WHEREAS, Children are placed in residence at ISSCH for a variety of reasons, including but not limited to
- Deployment of military parents;
- Temporary or permanent inability or unwillingness by parent to care for them;
- Dangers associated with criminal or otherwise inappropriate activity by guardians;
- Dangers arising from dysfunctional family circumstances;
- Inappropriate individual behavior short of criminal activity;
- Surpassing need for discipline and supervision short of that provided by the Juvenile Justice System; and
WHEREAS, “Mainstreaming” current and future residents in community based education will not address the social, emotional and other individual needs necessary to wholesome and productive childhood development; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, By the Department Executive Committee of The American Legion Department of
RESOLVED, That the Department Commander be and is hereby authorized and directed to establish a temporary committee to review and investigate all facts, findings, recommendations and other pertinent information affecting the decision to close the facility; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Department of
RESOLVED, That the Department Commander or his designated representative report at his earliest opportunity findings including but not limited to:
- The legislative history of the Indiana Soldiers and Sailors Children’s Home;
- The statutory responsibility for the maintenance and ultimate fate of the home;
- The historic preservation value of the home’s structures;
- The allocation of expenses per student for education, housing, board, social services, medical care, and all other costs related to residency at the home;
- Plans for providing for the full range of needs identified for each child, in addition to education;
- The accomplishments and points of view of ISSCH alumni; and be it further
RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be provided to the Governor of the
RESOLVED, That the American Legion Auxiliary Department of
RESOLVED, That opposition to the closing of the Indiana Soldiers and Sailors Children’s Home by the Department of
SUBMITTED BY:
//signed//
____________________________________
Jeff M. Carroll, Chairman
Knightstown Home Committee
APPROVED BY:
//signed//
____________________________________
Danny Rice, Chairman
Department Legislative Committee
APPROVED: Attest:
//signed// //signed//
______________________________________ ___________________
Ralph Tolan, Commander, and Chairman Stephen W. Short
Indiana Department Executive Committee Department Adjutant
Executive Summary
Part 1: Early History
The Home was privately founded in 1865 to provide care, education and maintenance to the orphaned and destitute children of Civil War Union Army veterans. In 1867, the State assumed control of the Home.
In the late 1890′s, concern for the Home’s future grew because the number of Civil War veterans’ orphans was dwindling. With fewer children needing care, the Home’s demise was inevitable. The legislature was persuaded to amend the law to include destitute children of all servicemen who served in any of the authorized campaigns.
The Home underwent numerous name changes between 1865 and 1929. Originally named the Indiana Soldiers and Seamens’ Home, in 1929 the Home was renamed the Indiana Soldiers and Sailors Children’s Home. Morton Memorial School began as a four room schoolhouse prior to 1900. The present building was erected in 1927.
The establishment of the home is covered in IC 16-33-4-53. The admissions criteria of the Home are covered in IC 16-33-4-10.
Part 2: Evaluation and Assessment
As part of its responsibility to students and residents, their families, our employees and the taxpayers, the Indiana State Department of Health evaluated and assessed the educational and business model in effect at the Indiana Soldiers and Sailors Children’s Home.
The ISDH also employed DOE, 0MB, FSSA and architectural contractors to evaluate the institution.
The focus of this assessment was to determine how effectively the current model achieved the ISSCH defined mission statement: “The mission of the JSSCH is to be a safe mentoring community where
After evaluation and assessment, the following observations and conclusions can be made:
- ISSCH lacks a clear mission, as the term “at risk youth” is not defined. The school administration loosely interprets the mission through the screening process for admissions.
- The institution’s responsibility outside the classroom amounts to little more than parental and day care support.
- The State is providing direct care in home communities that is already available through local communities.
- ISSCH is an institution that does not follow the correct model and trend of supplying education and support in local communities where it can be supported by families, neighbors, non-profit organizations and other local resources.
- ISSCH lacks follow-up measurements. There is little or no data available on children after they leave the Home.
- ISSCH is operationally inefficient. The teacher to student ratio is 1:5. The employee to student ratio is 1.4:1
- ISSCH is fiscally inefficient. The cost of educating a student is
$91,205.06 per year. The cost per day of education is$249.88 . When factored on a 188-day classroom calendar, the cost jumps to$485.13 per day. - The cost to modernize the physical plant ranges from an estimated minimum of
$65,000,000 up to$200,000,000 .
Part 3: Options
The ISDH investigated and reviewed several sound options and alternatives in an attempt to utilize the current school and function in a more efficient manner:
- Convert to a Charter School: Per legal counsel, charter school law applies to public schools. If the ISSCH is administered by a state agency, it will not meet the definition of a public school. Without state support, the school would collapse as it lacks an adequate revenue stream.
- Partner with a Post-Secondary Institution: Several colleges and vocational schools were contacted to explore the possibility of ISSCH becoming a vocational feeder school with the potential for vertical growth. The geographic location, high overhead costs and inadequate revenue stream blocked implementation.
- Partner with Organizations Offering Parallel Services: Several profit and non-profit organizations were approached in an effort to cooperate, privatize or merge the institution with other established services to create opportunities and efficiencies. Road blocks for creating this type of partnership include the present outdated care giving model, lack of revenue, aged physical plant, geographic location, high overhead costs, high operational costs and the need to change the legislative code.
- Change the Mission: After evaluation, a mission could not be developed that was not ineffective, inefficient, and redundant.
- Transition to another State Agency: Several state agencies were approached regarding any opportunities the Home or facility might offer. The outdated care giving model, lack of revenue, aged physical plant, geographic location, high overhead costs, high operational costs and the need to change the legislative code made partnership unfeasible for other agencies.
- Operate Through a Management Contract: Again, the outdated care giving model, lack of revenue, aged physical plant, geographic location, high overhead costs, and high operational costs made a management contract impractical.
Part 4: Recommendations
It is the recommendation of this Office that the Indiana Soldiers and Sailors Children’s Home transition students at the Indiana Soldiers’ and Sailor’s Children’s Home in
It is recommended that the school closes its doors at the conclusion of the 2009 school year. During the transition the Indiana State Department of Health should continue to evaluate options for future use of the facility.
Emphasis and priority should be placed on the completion of the educational process this year, smooth transition of the students back to their home communities, securing new jobs for as many employees as possible through the transition process, and fulfilling ISDH responsibilities related to the facility and assets.
CONTACT:
Stephen W. Short
sshort@indlegion.org
cell: 317.442.1713
office: 317.630.1266
Hugh Dagley
hdagley@indlegion.org
cell: 317.403.6266
office: 317.630.1391
SOURCE American Legion Department of