Center of a Storm

[July 30th, 2003] The director of a Southeast Portland home for troubled girls has come under fire in the wake of allegations of physical abuse and neglect.

The home, the SET Holistic Center for Girls, opened in April in a house at Southeast 15th Avenue and Hawthorne Boulevard with the mission of treating girls with a variety of psychological and addiction problems. But early this week, a spokeswoman for the Oregon Department of Human Services, which has provided $84,000 in state funds to the program, said it is considering the cancellation of its contract.

"If an environment is not safe, we cannot continue to support it," DHS communications director Patricia Feeney said Friday afternoon.

A number of allegations have surfaced about the program from former employees, who claim that hygiene is below standards, some of the girls are being improperly medicated, and abusive restraint techniques are being used on patients.

Much of the focus is on the program's service director, Dr. Mary Holden. In a written statement sent to DHS, social worker Letha Rynazewski described an incident that occurred on April 26, when, she said, Holden employed an improper restraint technique on a resident: "Mary Holden at one point was sitting on her arms not letting her move. The girl was only about 90 pounds, Mary is about 350!"

Several employees and board members have resigned their duties in protest of Holden's management. Mary DuPain, who was the treatment center's clinical psychologist, stepped down last week after requesting the termination of Mary Holden and any other staff members implicated in incidents of abuse.

State Sen. Margaret Carter, who sits on the center's board of directors, said she was unaware of the situation when contacted by WW. One of the board co-chairs, Sheila Holden, is Mary Holden's sister.

Contacted by phone, center director Holden said she was confident that she and the Holistic Center would pass any state review. She also maintains that DuPain did not resign but rather was fired.