Thursday, October 1, 2026
Child welfare leaders from Thurston, Mason, Lewis and Grays Harbor counties issued a joint demand for Providence Swedish to reverse its decision to close the Abuse Intervention Center, the sole trauma-informed clinic in the region serving abused children.
The hospital system agreed to meet with stakeholders after the closure announcement sparked public outcry.
Monarch Children's Justice & Advocacy Center released a statement on Thursday, Dec. 18, alongside officials from the four counties.
Community Action Council Executive Director Justin DeFour forwarded the statement to The JOLT News on Dec. 18.
"This could be detrimental to children who've endured abuse should the decision not be reversed or at least delayed," DeFour said.
Monarch is the only accredited Children's Advocacy Center in Thurston County. The nonprofit also takes referrals from Mason, Lewis and Grays Harbor counties for children from birth through 18 years of age, who have experienced sexual or physical abuse.
The Abuse Intervention Center is co-located with Monarch, allowing forensic interviewers, therapists, victim advocates and medical professionals to coordinate child abuse cases under the same roof. Both facilities share space at 3020 Willamette Drive NE in Lacey.
"We are grateful that Providence Swedish has come to the table to listen and begin the hard work involved in finding a solution," said Courtney Prothero of the Monarch Children's Justice & Advocacy Center. "Children in our community deserve safety, and their futures must remain a priority in every decision."
Under the current model, children, families, guardians and secondary victims access wraparound services in a single, child-friendly environment. A forensic interview, medical exam and mental health evaluation can happen in one visit.
Monarch first raised concerns on Facebook on Dec. 10 after news of the closure broke.
"Having medical services co-located means children get timely, compassionate care and assessments, reducing trauma and ensuring every child's needs are met quickly and holistically," the organization wrote.
Outside of the closure fight, the coalition is also pressing state legislators on Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) supplemental funding.
Children's Advocacy Center receive just 7% of VOCA supplemental funds, according to Thursday's statement, and other victim services absorb the rest.
"This limited allocation means that children may not be receiving the comprehensive support and care they require," the statement read. "Prioritizing funding for children helps to break cycles of abuse and prevents the perpetuation of generational trauma among survivors."
To address the gap, the coalition is pushing health care providers, child advocacy centers, prosecutors, law enforcement and survivor advocates to press state legislators for support.
"The mandate is clear: develop a long-term plan that preserves essential services for vulnerable children," the statement read.
Research cited by the advocacy center associates untreated childhood trauma to higher rates of mental illness, substance use disorders and chronic health conditions. Without early intervention, cycles of abuse can pass through families for generations.
Talks with regional leaders are ongoing, and strategies under consideration include community partnerships, fundraising, grant funding, hybrid service models and communicating with state representatives for support.
Monarch says preserving the Abuse Intervention Center at its current Thurston County location is necessary to protect services for childen.
People interested in joining the effort or seeking information can email Monarch at info@caclmt.org.
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longtimeresident
Of all the services to close, this is not one of them. Providence has been making a lot of changes over the last few months. I wonder if they are working towards becoming a for profit corporation vs. a nonprofit corporation (I have no evidence). We shall see..............
Tuesday, December 23, 2025 Report this
Snevets
Unfeckingbelivable!
Tuesday, December 23, 2025 Report this
Boatyarddog
Being connected to Economics, the Real Ass in this picture is The Real Donald Trump. Send your comments to his personal Email.
Wednesday, December 24, 2025 Report this
Olyrkrgrrl
Providence has also made other non-community serving moves recently. First, they announced they were consolidating all their physical therapy in the region, into one location, "for your convenience", okay, whatever. They spent like 6 months remodeling a strip mall, and finally opened the new facility. It was always crowded with PT patients. Suddenly, only a few months later, they CLOSED it, and sent a letter saying that they found that there were plenty of other places offering physical therapy in the area...The bean counters must have made the decision, but, it really serves nobody to stop offering PT. All the other PT places are super booked, and many do not take the low income insurance program. I can only imagine how much they had spent on the remodeling, and wonder what kind of COO would recommend closing it so soon after major expense of remodeling a space that size. I wish we could stop these huge corporations from claiming that they are "nonprofits" when their CEO's are making so much money.
Wednesday, December 24, 2025 Report this
Somney
Allegedly, they have a lot of management and Chief Executive leadership level folks, and the cash flow isn’t good.
Thursday, December 25, 2025 Report this
HappyOlympian
Surprised Providence does anything good without getting a significant payoff, they were found guilty of illegally charging the destitute for payment even though the state gives them them financial support to provide the services. Got to have a special disregard for humanity to do that.
Thursday, December 25, 2025 Report this
36098501
Add this to the list.
It has been a challenging few years for Providence, marked by a series of controversies and legal settlements that have eroded public trust. These issues suggest a disconnect between executive leadership and both the values of the organization’s Catholic foundation and the expectations of the communities it serves.
Providence has closed vital programs such as its outpatient physical, occupational, and speech therapy clinics.
Several neurosurgeons were dismissed after investigations due to a whistleblower, not Providence, found patterns of unnecessary surgeries and improper billing practices, resulting in a $23 million settlement and a Corporate Integrity Agreement requiring stronger patient safety and compliance controls. This situation resulted in Providence letting go of neurosurgeons throughout the communities it serves.
Other settlements have included $160 million for improper billing and oversight related to charity care, $98 million settlement for wage and timekeeping violations affecting 33,000 employees, and $351 million settlement for pension plan mismanagement under ERISA.
At the same time, Providence’s CEO reportedly earns $10 million annually, with the top 20 executives collectively earning $55 million.
The substantial number, scale, and breadth of these issues raise serious questions about executive competence and priorities amid ongoing systemic challenges. The communities they serve, the religious foundation that supports them, and the dedicated doctors, nurses, and support staff who deliver great care deserve an organization that consistently upholds its mission of care and stewardship with integrity and transparency, and that is accountable to those it serves.
Providence is more than capable to do better.
Thursday, December 25, 2025 Report this