ARC of Baldwin County, a nonprofit that provides services for people living with disabilities, faces closure after the Alabama Department of Mental Health (ADMH) decertified the organization.

ADMH informed ARC Baldwin County through a letter that the group has been decertified due to compliance issues and concerns regarding their caring practices. The agency has also asked ARC Baldwin County to relocate residential waiver participants to other certified ADMH facilities.

In the letter, dated July 1, ADMH Commissioner Kimberly Boswell detailed, among other issues, several violations that led them to make the move, including staff training deficits and language barriers, nursing oversight and medical care noncompliance, inadequate supervision and failure to implement person-centered plans and supervision, training and medical care compliance failures resulting in critical incidents and death.

The decision to decertify is effective immediately. However, ARC of Baldwin County plans to appeal the decision, as they have the right to request an administrative hearing and must notify Boswell in writing within 15 working days.

ARC of Baldwin County, based in Loxley, is part of the larger ARC of Alabama network, which provides day programming and services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. According to its website, the organization operates three centers located in Robertsdale, Loxley and Foley. All three face closure.

Following the decision, ARC of Alabama clarified in a Facebook post that all the different affiliated chapters throughout the state are separate independent organizations. However, ARC of Gulf Coast Alabama will “continue to support the ARC of Baldwin County throughout the appeal process and assist them with non-waiver services and the ARC of Gulf Coast Alabama will assist the day programs in Loxley, Foley and Robertsdale."

However, ADMH said in another letter that those programs will not take place. Any ARC services in Baldwin County will end unless and until an appeal is successful.

A public meeting will be on Wednesday, July 15, at 10 a.m. to assist families impacted by the situation and evaluate the care options for those who were served by ARC Baldwin County. The meeting will be held at 372 S. Greeno Road.

Kathy Fleet, executive director for ARC Baldwin County, declined to comment, telling GCM she cannot comment on ongoing legal proceedings at this time.