Some employees are even being encouraged — by Schafer — to open their homes to young patients and work as “professional parents” who are paid a daily rate to care for the children as they receive outpatient therapies.

In the plan, the residential facility will be downsized to 16 treatment beds — half the number of children it can currently accommodate. The state will further contract with individuals to run six home-based facilities. Some will operate “professional parent homes,” where individuals are paid to care for one child while the child undergoes intensive outpatient behavioral therapies. The others will be called “treatment family homes,” where up to three children can be placed.

Schafer said these are more beneficial to the youngest patients who should remain in a home setting. Cottonwood accepts children, 6 through 17. The facility has been increasingly accepting children 8 and under.

But Ank said most of the kids, particularly the younger ones, have severe behavioral issues that require multiple staff to manage.

“Treatment homes are so hard to find across the state, period. I don’t see how we’re going to establish six in this county,” Ank said.

Swan said everyone needs to stay positive.