Craigwood Youth Services closes after 70 years

A London area organization for youth in trouble with the law or in need of mental health care is closing its doors after more than 70 years of operation.

Craigwood Youth Services had provided support for children and teens in the London region since 1954.

"It's heartbreaking ... This is a 70 year legacy that Craigwood has contributed to the community," said Claudia den Boer, interim executive director of Craigwood Youth Services, in an interview with CBC News.

"Craigwood is closing due to a combination of financial challenges in how youth services are delivered in Ontario."

CBC News first reported in November that young people were being moved from a Craigwood facility in Ailsa Craig that also acted as a provincial jail to Sault Ste. Marie. Staffing, and the ability to retain staff with competitive pay, were cited by the union as being a major issue at Craigwood.

At that time, the province said it was expanding secure treatment facilities in Oakville and Ottawa, and that it had established a task force to look at staffing and capacity issues. Craigwood's facility in Ailsa Craig had 12 beds for female young offenders.

Craigwood, which was primarily provincially funded but independently operated, ran a number of services at multiple facilities. Aside from its youth jail in Ailsa Craig, Craigwood has an office in London on Hamilton Road and a community treatment home in the city on St. George Street.

'Perfect storm' of circumstances resulted in closure 

In a statement issued by den Boer to the community, she said families were being connected with alternate services, and staff were receiving severance packages. She told CBC News that because of the slow winding down of the Ailsa Craig operation, the youth affected had more time to transition to another facility.

"We have ensured that youth and families receiving services were supported through that transition, and there currently aren't any youth at our secure detention centre," den Boer said.

The decision to close resulted from a "perfect storm" of circumstances, according to den Boer. Among those, financial issues top the list. 

"Some of the funding models have changed over the past number of years, and I think it's been challenging for many not-for-profit community organizations, when there haven't been increases to base budgets. And, of course, costs increase," she said.

On top of that, a shift in approach from the province in how mental health services are delivered to children contributed, den Boer said. 

"They're shifting from ... residential type beds [and treatment], if you will, to a more community-based, intensive service model," she said. "All of these changes coming together have really created a situation where we don't see a path forward."

Province let down youth, employees, union says

Losing his job two weeks before Christmas is not news that Jonathan Guider or the members of the Craigwood Youth Services in OPSEU Local 166 were hoping to hear when they were called into a town hall meeting on Monday, Guider said.

However, the news didn't come as a total surprise to the union VP who represented the roughly 50 union members left at Craigwood's Ailsa Craig facility.

"Like many of us, I've got lots of years invested in there," said Guider, who had been working at Craigwood since 2000. "Starting all over as a new employee at 51 years old, it's going to be different."

Guider said the past four years of working at Craigwood were a slow descent to its closure.

His members were paid a maximum of roughly $26 per hour, Guider said, whereas employees at provincially run facilities made up to $43, he said. He recalled moments where company credit cards were declined when employees attempted to buy groceries for the Ailsa Craig facility.

"We've been waiting for the ministry to invest in us. ​​​​​​ But clearly the ministry has decided that they're not going to invest."-Jonathan Guider, OPSEU Local 166 vice president

Guider's belief is that the province failed the youth that rely on Craigwood's services, and the members of his union, he said.

"We've been waiting for the ministry to invest in us. But clearly the ministry has decided that they're not going to invest," he said.

The closure of Craigwood's Ailsa Craig facility, which Guider said was the largest secure detention facility for female young offenders in Ontario, and one of three in the province, leaves a massive gap in service as well, he noted.

"The next closest one is in Kingston. They're struggling as well," he said. "If a girl commits a serious crime [in southwestern Ontario], they're going to be going all the way to Kingston or flying far up north [to Sault Ste. Marie]."

Moving forward, Guider said, he's hopeful the province will act to fill that gap. He also said OPSEU will be engaged with Craigwood to benefit the laid-off workers. 

"I wish the province would have invested in our good services, because we did have excellent committed employees," he said.