State finds alleged sexual abuse at children’s treatment center

An employee at a residential mental health treatment center for children in Austin reportedly sexually abused three teenagers multiple times, according to a state maltreatment investigation. The investigation also found the worker, who is no longer employed there, and another employee provided marijuana and vapes to nine young people at Nexus Gerard Family Healing. The Nexus campus on a 12-acre estate in Austin serves 9- to 18-year-olds who need intensive emotional, behavioral or mental health care. The organization serves kids with challenging behaviors, including aggression, self-harm and social withdrawal — a service that is in high demand in Minnesota . The alleged abuse comes as Nexus’ operations at a similar children’s residential treatment center in East Bethel are also under scrutiny from the state . Advertisement The Minnesota Department of Human Services temporarily suspended the East Bethel center’s license earlier this year. State investigators found workers there failed to report suspected maltreatment and protect the basic rights of young people in their care, among other issues the state determined put clients at “imminent risk of harm.” However, the state lifted the suspension in June after Nexus appealed and reached a settlement agreement with the DHS. The maltreatment investigation at the Austin center did not trigger a license suspension. “The behavior of this former employee is appalling and intolerable. The care and safety of the young people we serve is paramount and we are deeply dismayed that a former employee could not be trusted,” a spokeswoman at Nexus said in a prepared statement. “Back in April, a young person felt safe enough to speak up and our staff immediately reported the allegations and we began our investigation and fully cooperated with the state.”