FAMILY LEARNING CENTER TO CLOSE

The Family Learning Center, once well known for its work with abused and neglected preschoolers, will cease its Cape Girardeau operations in December.

Though at one time the only program of its kind in the region, the rise of similar services has led to a decline in enrollment, said Roger Henry, executive director of the Community Counseling Center. The program will end Dec. 15.

The Family Learning Center opened in 1981 and was an independent non-profit agency until 1989, when it merged with the Community Counseling Center.

"It did excellent work," said Daniel Finch, a former president of the Family Learning Center board. "It benefited the children and parents and allowed them to be a stronger, functional family unit."

The center, which kept its name because of its recognition in the community, offers therapy and counseling for severely emotionally disturbed children 2 to 6 years old and their parents and families.

"I'm sorry this program has to go, of course, but that is a reality today in the managed-care climate. ... There are simply less expensive ways to do it," Henry said.

Although he could not cite exact figures, Henry said the program costs about $110,000 annually, including $30,000 in funding from the Area United Way.

Enrollment in the program is 12 children at a time and about 60 children a year. The children attend half-day-long classes five days a week.

Employees in the program were informed of the plan Monday. Two full-time instructors, a part-time caseworker, a part-time cook and a substitute teacher will be laid off. Henry said there currently are no openings at the Community Counseling Center for those employees to transfer to.

However, the children will be shifted to other programs, either at Community Counseling or elsewhere in the area. "They will be offered other services; they will not be left out in the cold," Henry said.

Thomas M. Meyer was involved with the earliest fund-raising efforts to get the Family Learning Center established in 1979. He served as president of the agency's board of directors during the mid-1980s. Meyer said Susan Ritter, the center's first director, convinced the community to support such a program.

"Having worked around kids in some function or another, Susan Ritter showed us the real need for a child-abuse and neglect center," Meyer said. "Once you see kids who have been abused and neglected it really tears at your heart, and you want to do something about it."

Its mission gradually expanded to where the center offered a variety of services, including counseling for parents.

"Not only did it take care of kids, we were able to go to the source of it with parent training programs," Meyer said.

He said as long as other programs exist to pick up the slack, families in need will still get the services.

"Not that it's solved, but it seems like there is more attention and public support, and that's great," Meyers said.

During its independent existence, the center enjoyed strong financial support from the community, Meyer said.

The center was initially at 605 Broadway before moving to 808 S. Sprigg in 1987. Some time after the merger it was relocated to the basement of Community Counseling Center building at 402 S. Silver Springs.

Finch, president of the board during the merger, is sorry to see the program go but said the merger made sense at the time, citing some duplication in services.

"We thought the efforts of both would be better served if instead of competing with each other we were working together," said Finch. "It just made sense; it was the proper thing to do to bring all the services to bear. I think it was that more than the financial aspect."

Finch said he hopes the termination of the program will not have a detrimental effect on area children and emphasized the importance of helping at-risk children as early as possible.

"If you can deal with those problems at this age rather than when they are ingrained, then the child has a better chance to be a good citizen," Finch said.