MacLaren Center Has Runaway Problems

Becky was self-destructive, sometimes violent and suicidal. Her parents put her in a private mental hospital for therapy, but when the money ran out, the county was their last resort--and “worst mistake.”

Harriet and Brian Brooks of La Verne say they haven’t seen their 13-year-old daughter now since March 27, when she jumped out of a county car taking her from MacLaren Children’s Center in El Monte to a court appearance.

But that wasn’t the first time Becky had run away. Since being admitted to MacLaren in January, Becky--who her mother and court documents describe as suffering from depression, suicidal tendencies and other severe emotional problems--walked out of MacLaren several times, according to her mother.

Learned Bad Habits

“They told me when they took possession of her that they could help her,” her mother said. “When she was in the county’s custody, she learned to smoke, learned where to get hard drugs, learned the ins and outs of the rough side of town. That’s all they ever did.

“As far as I’m concerned it was the worst mistake of my life,” she said. “I keep expecting the police to call and tell me she’s dead. I’ve never been through such hell.”

The Brooks have filed a claim against the county alleging gross negligence. But their situation is not unusual.

MacLaren, a temporary shelter for abused and neglected youths awaiting placement elsewhere, has increasingly become home for youngsters with emotional problems because the county lacks enough group homes for them.

The county has custody of about 10,000 children. About 7,500 are in group homes because the county has only 3,500 individual foster families. An influx of teen-agers with emotional problems resulted in 70 runaways at MacLaren in February--dramatically higher than the 10 who ran away during the same time last year.

In a report to county supervisors, Lola Hobbs, then-director of the Children’s Services Department, said most of the 70 teen-agers who ran away had “severe behavioral and-or emotional problems.” She also said many had histories of runaway behavior.

“We do not chase children who are running away on the roof or climbing walls because of the threat to their health and safety,” Hobbs said in her report.

Many Return on Own

She said the El Monte police are sometimes called to bring the youngsters back, although many return on their own.

Officials also are taking some minor steps to cut back on runaways, such as trimming trees surrounding the facility to make escape more difficult and establishing a hot line so nearby residents can report suspected runaways.

MacLaren’s staff includes psychiatric social workers, psychiatrists and psychologists to “do everything we can to convince children not to leave,” said Karen Buffington, a spokeswoman for the Children’s Services Department.

But despite the growing number of disturbed youngsters in MacLaren, state law prohibits it from being a locked facility.

“They haven’t commited a crime. You can’t lock them up,” she said. “You don’t want to lock them up,” she said. “But it’s tough to protect children from themselves if you can’t lock them up.”

County supervisors have ordered the Department of Mental Health to begin developing programs to suit the needs of emotionally disturbed youngsters at MacLaren.

“We know there’s a problem,” said Tom Hibbard, senior deputy to Supervisor Pete Schabarum. “We just don’t know the scope of it.”

Those aren’t comforting words to the Brooks family.

“I can’t get help anywhere in the system,” Harriet Brooks said. “I don’t know what to do. I had to rely on the county, and they failed miserably.”