The recent arrest of our clinical director shocked and saddened me, our staff and everyone associated with Hanna Center. All of us at Hanna dedicate ourselves daily to helping young men recover from childhood trauma and adversity, so when something like this surfaces, it’s devastating to realize that further harm may have been caused by the actions of one of our own.
While Hanna complies fully with all state licensing requirements for the selection, hiring, training and supervision of staff, whenever there is any suggestion that something like this may have occurred, we need to do everything possible to ensure we address it promptly and make certain it never happens again.
So even before this case has been resolved, we’ve started to take action to minimize the possibility of a future recurrence—to protect the overall safety of our boys going forward. We are increasing training efforts to help both staff and boys identify the often subtle signs of predatory behavior, and to better understand professional boundaries. We’re reexamining our processes to ensure that boys are more closely monitored and accounted for. And perhaps most importantly, we’re listening more attentively to what our boys are telling us, identifying any vulnerabilities, challenges or irregularities that may warrant reporting or further investigation. And we won’t stop there.
In the meantime, we have been tremendously grateful for the overwhelming outpouring of support we have received during this difficult period – heartfelt testimony from alumni, community members, supporters and friends who recognize the importance of our mission and who have firsthand knowledge of Hanna’s long track record in turning around the lives of thousands of vulnerable boys.
The fact is that Hanna has been doing this important work for more than 72 years, and we look forward to having an even greater impact over the next 72—and beyond. And through it all, please be assured that we remain more committed than ever to maintaining a healthy, safe and therapeutic environment for all our young people.
Thank you for your calls and letters of support.
Brian Farragher
Executive Director
