Almost two weeks after abruptly discharging nearly 50 patients from a women’s inpatient substance use treatment center in Northeast Portland, Volunteers of America Oregon (VOA) announced it will permanently close the site and lay off all staff, effectively immediately.
Staff were laid off Thursday, April 16. VOA Oregon did not confirm how many employees were impacted. The announcement was made after the organization said earlier this month it would temporarily pause services at its Women’s Residential Treatment Center and close the site to re-tool operations. The closure saw 47 patients discharged in rapid fashion, some of which didn’t have a stable place to transition to and relapsed immediately afterward.
News of the indefinite closure comes as VOA Oregon faces mounting operational expenses to operate the center. It also comes shortly after the nonprofit organization came under the state’s microscope following complaints filed with the Oregon Health Authority over potential legal and ethical breaches surrounding the abrupt client discharges.
VOA Oregon’s money pit
In a statement provided to the Mercury Thursday, VOA Oregon said it initially hoped to address internal organizational issues and reopen the center, but a closer evaluation of the center’s costs triggered the decision to close permanently…