Group gathers to pray for Cottonwood's survival

After organizing rallies, speaking to the community and pleading with political leaders, supporters of Cottonwood Residential Treatment Center reached out to a higher power Tuesday night to share their concerns.

About 70 employees and community members gathered at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Cape Girardeau for a prayer service. Pastors from various congregations stood and shared prayers and well wishes for the facility. Staff members offered testimonies, and those attending participated in a balloon launch at the end of the service.

In June, employees of the local facility that serves children with severe emotional and mental needs were told it would close Dec. 31 because of state budget cuts. Since receiving the news, many have launched a campaign to save Cottonwood from its impending closure. Petitions have been signed and hand-delivered to Gov. Jay Nixon's office. Local legislators teamed with the staff to create new financial plans that would make the facility self-sufficient.

But Cottonwood's fate ultimately could depend on decisions made by the Missouri General Assembly at today's veto session. Lawmakers are threatening to overturn line-item budget vetoes made by Nixon, as well as his vetoes on sales tax-cutting bills. The governor, who said he made more than $1 billion in cuts to the state budget because of financial concerns, has previously indicated if his vetoes stand, he will first release funding for education, followed by funding for mental-health programs.

"Since the announcement was first made [of the closure], the families and the people that work at Cottonwood have gone through myriad responses and reactions and have been dealing with prolonged uncertainty," said therapist Jeanie Dale.

She's been at Cottonwood for 14 years and said there's been a lot of unease and unrest among staff and the residents. Many of the children will be able to complete treatment and return home to their families before the facility's scheduled closing date, she said, but some patients will have to be transferred to another facility to continue receiving help. Shifting children to new treatment in a new facility concerns many among the staff.

Darrell Faire is a pastor at First Pentecostal Church in Cape Girardeau and an admissions coordinator at Cottonwood. He commended the staff and community members who have fought to raise awareness and save the facility and offered a final plea to lawmakers and the governor.

"It would be a disgrace to close this facility, for the families and for the kids," Faire said. "... For one moment, lay the politics aside. Can't we do one thing for the sake of the children? Let's lay down our politics and do something that is most beneficial to our children."

As attendees prepared to leave the church to release green balloons -- the color that represents children's mental health -- with short prayers tied to their strings, the song "Kings and Queens" played. As Cottonwood cottage leader Rob Huffman said, the song seemed to capture the theme of the night.

"On their own, on the run, when their lives have only begun

These could be our daughters and our sons

And just like a drum, I can hear their hearts beating

I know my God won't let them be defeated

Every child has a dream to belong and be loved."

srinehart@semissourian.com

388-3641

Pertinent address:

1820 Perryville Road, Cape Girardeau, Mo.