Tell the City of Philadelphia: End your contract with Devereux!
Cynthia Figueroa, Deputy Mayor, Office of Children and Families
Español abajo! ⬇️⬇️
Join us on calling on Cynthia Figueroa to ensure the safety of youth in the City of Philadelphia and end all contracts with Devereux!
In a recent article in the Philadelphia Inquirer, the history of abuse against youth people in Devereux's care was highlighted. We are deeply concerned about the allegations of grave violations of basic human rights and safety of children and youth in Devereux’s care over the last 25 years due to entrenched impunity and complete lack of accountability. Last year, Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health announced it's plans to open a children’s detention facility in Devon, PA with a $14 million contract to lock up migrant youth with no community input.
Devon, PA community members have stood up against Devereux and we must stand with them by continuing to oppose detaining immigrant children in our state!
We the undersigned, together with community members of the Devon, PA urge the City of Philadelphia to end all contracts with Devereux immediately.
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En un artículo reciente del Philadelphia Inquirer, se destacó la historia de abuso contra jóvenes bajo el cuidado de Devereux. Estamos profundamente preocupadxs por las denuncias de graves violaciones de los derechos humanos y la seguridad de lxs niñxs y jóvenes bajo el cuidado de Devereux durante los últimos 25 años debido a la impunidad y la falta total de responsabilidad. El año pasado, Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health anunció sus planes de abrir un centro de detención de niñxs en Devon, PA, con un contrato de $ 14 millones para encerrar a jóvenes migrantes.
¡Lxs miembros de la comunidad de Devon, PA se han enfrentado a Devereux y debemos apoyarlos y seguir oponiéndonos a la detención de niñxs inmigrantes en nuestro estado!
Nosotrxs, los abajo firmantes, junto con lxs miembros de la comunidad de Devon, PA, exigimos a la Ciudad de Filadelfia a terminar todos los contratos con Devereux de inmediato.
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To:
Cynthia Figueroa, Deputy Mayor, Office of Children and Families
From:
[Your Name]
Dear Deputy Mayor Cynthia Figueroa,
I am deeply concerned about the contract that the City of Philadelphia maintains with Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health and as a concerned community member, I am calling on you to take action.
It has become increasingly clear that Devereux is unable to guarantee the safety of the youth in their care. Through your role as the Deputy Mayor of the Office of Children and Families in the City of Philadelphia, your job is to advocate for the youth of this city and secure their protection. This is your opportunity to demonstrate moral leadership and take the immediate steps necessary to cut all ties with this negligent institution.
As the research published in the Philadelphia Inquirer shows, the sexual abuse and blatant lack of accountability at Devereux has occurred for over 25 years. We cannot stand idly by and enable any continued abuse, nor can we dishonor the courage of the abuse survivors from Devereux who were brave enough to share their stories.
As City Council shared in their open letter directed to you and Donna Bailey, private residential facilities operate without the required oversight, transparency, and accountability necessary to ensure the safety of children in their care in addition to its for-profit detention of migrant youth. It is essential that the City of Philadelphia ends its contract with Devereux to ensure that there is no more systematic abuse towards youth in their care.
It is immoral to continue sending children and youth to an institution where their safety is put at risk and where the institution has shown time and time again that they are unwilling to ensure their safety.
I am calling on you as the Deputy Mayor of the Office of Children and Families to:
- Immediately end the City of Philadelphia’s contract with Devereux as a way to ensure the safety of children and youth in the city
- Publicly declare your opposition to the detention of migrant youth in the state of PA and commit to working towards the end to all detention
- Express your support to families looking to reunite with their children who have been violently separated from them through unjust and inhumane policies pushed by the Trump administration
Now more than ever, children and youth might be protected and the attack on migrant children and families must be stopped.