The Crotched Mountain Foundation Board of Directors voted unanimously to permanently close its Greenfield campus by the end of the year, according to a press release issued Tuesday evening.
The campus is home to Crotched Mountain School, which provides special education services to students in kindergarten through grade 12 and beyond, and an adult residential program for people with disabilities. The campus opened in 1953 when the Crotched Mountain Rehabilitation Center was established to support people with polio.
“I am sad to announce the closure of the Greenfield campus,” Ned Olney, President and CEO of Crotched Mountain Foundation, said in the press release. “The cost to operate such a large campus has always been high, and unfortunately unsustainable. Over the last several years we have taken dramatic steps to reduce programs and costs, which have included the closing of our specialty hospital, transferring ATECH Services to the State, and implementing drastic budget cuts. However, these were simply not sufficient.”
Olney also mentioned the coronavirus pandemic as another reason for the closure.
“Like so many other organizations, the COVID-19 pandemic irrevocably altered our options and, ultimately, our future on the mountain,” Olney said. “COVID-19 required we suspend several of our revenue-generating service lines, suspend student enrollment, and increase spending to ensure the safety of our residents and staff. While we had no other option, this is nonetheless a heartbreaking decision.”
Planning for the wind down of the Greenfield campus operations will begin immediately, the release said, as Crotched Mountain staff will work closely with school districts, state agencies, and families to support a safe and appropriate transition for residents.
Crotched Mountain Foundation’s community-based services, which include Ready Set Connect Autism Centers in Manchester, Concord, and Tilton, CMCC Case Management, Crotched Mountain Accessible Recreation and Sports (CMARS), the Refurbished Equipment Marketplace, and the Adult Shared Living programs will remain open, the release said.
“Crotched Mountain has a rich history of serving people with disabilities, going all the way back to 1953 when Crotched Mountain Rehabilitation Center first opened to support people with polio,” said Henry Veilleux, Chair of the Board of Directors for Crotched Mountain Foundation. “The mission has evolved several times over the decades in order to provide support to the most challenged by disabilities. Over the course of almost 70 years, we have done so much good for so many. It is a proud legacy.”