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DAVIS-

Representatives from Families First are offering some answers about a troubled group home controversy that’s been stirring for eight days.

“I know that our organization has close to a 150-year history of providing outstanding services for kids. I know that as soon as we knew there was any sort of a problem we moved to fix it,” said CEO Darrell Evora.

That knowledge appears to have come to Evora slowly – only after 500 calls for police help to his Davis group home in six months and arrests for the rape of clients.

One alleged victim – an 11-year-old client AWOL at a park close to the facility.

A day after the state made moves to revoke his center’s license and stop two top officials at the home from further work in the industry, Evora said he will defend those in charge when the state claims mentally-troubled kids were put in jeopardy.

To many watching developments in this case those comments seem out of sync with something else Evora had to say Friday.

“There is nothing more important to us than the safety and well-being of the children that we serve,” he said.

Due to ongoing litigation Evora couldn’t discuss any punishment of personnel since the rape allegations surfaced.

Though staffing levels in Davis were defended as being in state compliance, new employees have recently been added to the campus.

A residential care expert has been hired as well.

He says the AWOL issue in Davis is one shared by similar centers nationwide and characterized the Davis problem this way:

“None of these kids ran away. They didn’t run away. They ran around seeking fun, seeking excitement, seeking to be nurtured,” said Neal Sternberg, CEO of Sternberg Consultants.

Though  started new staff training to try and raise the bar of care in Davis, he admits he hasn’t assessed where that bar was.

“My role hasn’t’ been to investigate the accusations,” he said.

“The reality is there aren’t a lot of people who want to serve who we serve. It’s hard,” said Evora.

That may be, but to many now pointing the finger at FamiliesFirst that is no excuse for a job not done well.

Evora says other residential care and crisis nursery facilities owned by his company have never had any trouble with the state.

He’s promising to appeal the state complaint claiming that children were hurt because of practices at his Davis site.

That appeal must be filed within thee next 15 days