County: Care deficiency caused closures

ALLEGAN, Mich. (WOOD) - A group of caretakers in Allegan County is furious after its paychecks bounced when Best Way Providers, a non-profit organization helping people with special needs, had two of its homes shut down.
 
Target 8 learned Best Way Providers shut down voluntarily and that the County ended its contract with the non-profit citing deficiencies in care.
 
Supervisor Andrea Mahone received a letter from BWP saying, according to Allegan County Community Mental Health Services, clients would be terminated by Aug. 31.
 
"My reaction was, 'Oh my gosh, how am I going to pay my bills? What am I going to do?' Because I have a house note, a car note," said Mahone.
 
Target 8 received on Wednesday a statement from the County:
 
"It is regrettable that Best Way Providers (BWP) finds itself in the position of being unable to pay its staff. However, due to significant deficiencies in the quality of the care that was being provided by BWP to the consumers of Allegan County Community Mental Health Services, ACCMHS found it necessary to terminate its contractual relationship with BWP."
 
When asked about "deficiencies in quality," Mahone said some of the caretakers were working up to 80 hours a week.
 
The County also said, "All of the consumers that were involved with BWP have been relocated to suitable living arrangements and/or are receiving services from another provider agency."
 
When Target 8 first spoke with the caretakers, they said their calls to BWP were not being answered. However, on Wednesday, Mahone received a call from BWP acting chair Rillastine Wilkins. Mahone said Wilkins says she hopes to have the situation resolved soon and has never seen a situation like this before.

Wilkins told Target 8 that BWP lost a major client in March and has since had money troubles.