Statement Regarding Agreement for Transition
of St. Michael’s School

      The Diocese of Scranton and EIHAB have reached an agreement to begin the transition of St. Michael’s School in Tunkhannock to ownership by EIHAB, a behavioral health organization based in Springfield Gardens, N.Y.  The acronym EIHAB stands for Empower-Instruct-Habilitate-Assist-Better.

EIHAB has applied to the Pennsylvania Attorney General for approval to assume ownership of the school and to obtain the necessary licenses to continue operating it as a behavioral health facility. The Diocese and EIHAB will also be finalizing the details of the agreement. These processes are expected to take 4-6 months, and no further details are available at this time.

St. Michael’s accepts students for care and treatment of behavioral, emotional and abuse problems. The school also provides primary, secondary and special education programs at its main campus in Hoban Heights (Tunkhannock). The school also operates community-based group homes in Tunkhannock, West Pittston and Pine Grove. These facilities are also part of the agreement.

St. Michael’s currently serves a total of 57 students. There are 103 full- and 23 part-time staff members.

St. Michael’s School was founded as an orphanage in 1916. By the 1970s, fewer children were placed in orphanages as the foster care system developed. St. Michael’s began accepting students from across the state for care and treatment of behavioral, emotional and abuse problems. Now the students are primarily from Northeastern and Central Pennsylvania.

In 2007 the school’s Board of Trustees undertook a thorough study of the institution, based on a key evaluation made by the professionals from Girls and Boys Town. The Board recognized, and then-Bishop Joseph F. Martino agreed, that the changing nature of the managed health care environment and the costs involved made the operation of the facility a task that is now beyond the ability of the Diocese to manage.

Consequently, the Diocese announced in September 2007 that it would seek to transfer ownership of the institution to a professional organization with an established reputation that could take over the operation of the facility.

The Diocese is hopeful that the agreement with EIHAB will be approved. The Diocese and St. Michael’s staff are committed to working with EIHAB to ensure a smooth transition so that students will continue to receive services.