BLUEBONNET HAVEN HOLDING PUBLIC HEARING MONDAY TO DISCUSS PROPOSED EXPANSION
Members of the public have the opportunity today (Monday) to give their thoughts on a proposed expansion at the Bluebonnet Haven Residential Treatment Center south of Brenham.
A public hearing will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Salem Volunteer Fire Department, located in Brenham at 251 Salem Road. The purpose of the hearing is to notify the public of the facility’s intent to increase capacity to 36 residents from 32. The facility on Highway 36 South serves girls ages 13-17 who are victims of trauma and require treatment services for emotional disorders, intellectual disabilities, and autism spectrum disorders.
The state-required public hearing comes after the passage of Senate Bill 781, sponsored by State Senator Lois Kolkhorst and State Representative Ben Leman, in the 86th Legislature. The law was designed to strengthen the requirements necessary to obtain a license to open a youth treatment center, and to allow for further public input opportunities in a facility’s licensing process and operation.
The legislation passed after community members voiced their disapproval with the lack of public input in Bluebonnet Haven’s initial licensing process. Despite the Brenham City Council, Washington County Commissioners, and Brenham School Board all passing resolutions opposing the licensing, the facility was granted an initial license to operate in mid-October of 2018.
KWHI reached out to Bluebonnet Haven owner Randall Bryant for additional information on today’s public hearing and the facility’s expansion plans, but he did not respond.
Those looking to submit comments related to the hearing can contact Amber Owen, Residential Child Care Licensing Inspector for the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC), by emailing amber.owen@hhsc.state.tx.us or calling 979-731-0111.