Pressley Ridge, an international organization that provides education and support for "troubled and troubling children," yesterday announced that it will close its Ohiopyle Therapeutic Wilderness Program on June 30.
Dr. B. Scott Finnell, president and chief executive officer for Pressley Ridge, said the decision is a financial one, but it's also a "bittersweet" reflection of the changing times.
"We didn't have but 20 kids out there," Dr. Finnell said, "and in order to meet new requirements, we'd have to spend anywhere between $1.5 [million] to $6 million. It just wasn't feasible for us to continue to do that.
"We've known the great value it has for kids. But in spite of all of our efforts and some great supporters, we [believe we are] better served utilizing those resources to help a whole lot more kids."
Pressley Ridge offers foster care to hundreds of children in Allegheny, Beaver, Fayette, Washington and Greene counties. The organization's network has 1,000 employees and serves 2,000 at-risk young people in eight states, the District of Columbia, Portugal and Hungary.
But Pressley Ridge has been down this road before. Born out of Pittsburgh orphanages more than 175 years ago, Pressley Ridge led the change to community-based, residential and educational services with an emphasis on teaching young people self-control.
Today, Dr. Finnell said, the trend is to provide services for youths in their homes and communities whenever possible.
"It's that same kind of thinking," he said of the evolution. "As sad as we are to see a beloved program run its course, we accept that keeping kids in their homes in their communities is always our first hope."
Pressley Ridge Ohiopyle opened its doors in 1975. The average age of the youths there is 15.
"We're hoping the kids will be able to go into other programs," Dr. Finnell said. "Those that can't ... well, we're going to continue to care for those kids. We're still committed to the kids first, and we're not going to leave them high and dry."
Dr. Finnell said no decision has been made regarding what to do with the 1,300 acres of land at Ohiopyle, but "as long as the property is available, it can be utilized by our staff and programs. And we're not abandoning Fayette County. We're still going to be in the areas providing services."
Despite the closing of the Ohiopyle facility, Dr. Finnell said, "everything is wonderful for Pressley Ridge. In tough economic times, organizations like Pressley Ridge still have to make sure they're meeting the needs of the community."
First Published: May 3, 2008, 4:00 a.m.
