Nexus Family Healing Facility is located in a peaceful rural setting in East Bethel.
An investigation into youth psychiatric facilities by the Ministry of Health and Welfare has raised concerns.
Related: East Bethel youth treatment program under national investigation
“We are very sympathetic to this situation,” said East Bethel City Administrator Matt Look. “We are concerned about the programs operating there and the children and families affected by this license suspension.”
DHS is investigating a list of violations that includes:
- Suspicion of unreported abuse
- medicine is not administered safely
- Treatment services without proper supervision
- Not monitoring the implementation of safety policies
- Facilities are not well maintained
Look said he was shocked to learn of these issues, but noted that 911 calls from Nexus have become more frequent.
“There were a lot of self-harm calls,” he explains. “We get a report of an assault, we get a report of children leaving the facility, the police are called, and if there are any injuries, that’s when the fire is extinguished.”
Look said the emergency calls started three years ago.
Typically, six agencies would respond, he said.
Looking at the notes, there were 178 calls in 2025 alone.
“We did something like an early estimate that it would probably cost our community about $100,000 a year,” he explains. “It may not sound like a big deal, but for a community our size, this is important.”
The center will open in late 2023 and feature 40 beds for children ages 10 to 20 with higher-level mental and behavioral health needs.
Licensing records document a history of abuse investigations and remedial orders dating back to 2024.
A week ago, DHS suspended Nexus’ licenses effective May 29, citing an “imminent risk of harm” to 21 residents.
The order suspends the license on that date or when all youth receiving services at that location transition to a new provider, whichever occurs first.
A DHS spokesperson said in a statement, “The Department is working with state and county partners to provide resources and support to house all youth in our facilities. We strive to support individualized placement plans while minimizing disruption for affected youth and their families. Our priority is to ensure the safety, stability, and appropriate treatment of these youth.”
As KSTP reported Thursday, a spokesperson for Nexus Family Healing said staff were surprised to receive notice from DHS on May 15 that the facility would be temporarily closed.
On Friday, Nexus declined our request for an on-camera interview, but the provider sent us the following statement:
“Regarding the list of statements from DHS, we have reached out to request a meeting to learn more about their specific concerns. We have informed DHS of the actions we have taken to date and any additional actions that we believe will eliminate the possibility of harm that may exist. We have a long history of correspondence and cooperation with DHS and respect their role in their dedicated efforts to ensure the safety of our youth.”
“As soon as we received the notification, we began contacting families of the youth we serve at East Bethel and are working on transition plans. We also notified our staff of the furloughs in conjunction with DHS’ May 29 temporary closure notice.th.
“There are very few PRTFs (psychiatric residential treatment facilities) in the state that serve children with advanced mental and behavioral health needs. We are deeply concerned that the temporary closure of this facility is not in the best interests of our youth and their families. We are, as always, committed to working with DHS to address their concerns, and our goal is to remain open and continue to serve youth in East Bethel.”
Ruck said she hopes the city can help.
“How can I meet these kids?” he explains. “How can we provide some services to help them get on the right path in life and beyond?”
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