Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

PAWTUCKET -- Caritas House, a facility for treating girls with substance abuse problems, has a new executive director -- Kathryn Nicodemus -- it was announced today.

Nicodemus, who has 35 years of experience dealing with adolescents and their families, succeeds Susan D. Wallace, founder and executive director of Caritas House.

The announcement comes three weeks after Chief Judge Jeremiah S. Jeremiah Jr. of Family Court declared that the state would no longer send teenage girls to Caritas after an investigation into sexual activity, scabies outbreaks and prescription drug tampering.

Beth Watson, spokeswoman for Caritas House, said there was no connection between the Family court order and Wallace's departure. "She decided to retire early in January," Watson said.

Caritas House became the first residential substance-abuse treatment center for adolescent girls in the country upon its founding in 1971. Jeremiah initiated a probe last fall in response to complaints about activities at the 16-bed facility.

Lawyers for the Office of the Court Appointed Special Advocate, which led the review, called in September for Caritas House to improve its staff-to-resident ratio to stop sexual activity, and recommended a referral be made to the state Department of Mental Health, Retardation and Hospitals to determine if licensing requirements for staffing and cleanliness were being met.

Wallace at the time defended the center as having more staff than other programs. She denied a scabies outbreak had occurred, but said one resident brought in the skin disease, caused by a microscopic mite that spreads by contact. She said any sexual activity among residents would be addressed.

CASA conducted subsequent investigations after teenagers raised more concerns about missing medication and being groped and sexually harassed by other residents.
Nicodemus took over on Jan. 20, according to Stephen J. Craven, president of the Caritas board.

Craven described the new director's credentials as "stellar."

Nicodemus, of Pawtucket, has worked in private, nonprofit agencies and at the state Department of Children, Youth and Families. She was most recently vice president of community services at Child and Family Services of Newport County.

She is a licensed independent clinical social worker and a member of the Academy of Certified Social Workers. She is a graduate of the University of Rhode island and Boston University, where she earned a bachelor of arts and a master's degree in social work respectively.

 Tags  Pawtucket

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