State Audits $4 Million Paid To Allegheny Valley School Head

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Reiview is reporting that the state Department of Public Welfare is auditing a compensation package given to Regis Champ, head of Allegheny Valley School. His compensation package for 2008 was $4 million dollars.

The state is auditing Allegheny Valley's parent company, Northwestern Human Services in Lafayette Hill, and the $495,535 salary of its president and chief executive, M. Joseph Rocks, a former state senator.

"I thought it was pretty large," said Kevin Casey, deputy secretary for the department's Office of Developmental Programs, about Champ's compensation package. The office oversees programs dealing with mental health and mental retardation.

"Frankly, I was not happy with it. I've never heard of anything of that size in 40 years," Casey said.

The Trib reported Aug. 30 that Champ received a $3.98 million package. It was supposed to be spread over 10 years, but was paid to Champ last year when Allegheny Valley was sold to Northwestern Human Services, said Northwestern spokesman Kevin Feeley.

Do you remember Northwestern Youth Services? You should.

To address the immediate problem created when Judge Conahan shut down the Luzerne facility for use the privately owned juvenile detention facility in Pittston Township among others was approved for use by the Luzerne County commissioners on February 5, 2003 .The centers approved for use include: Northwestern Youth Services, $186.60 per diem; Pennsylvania Child Care, $268 per diem; Lackawanna County Juvenile Detention Center, $200 per diem; Dauphin County Juvenile Detention Center, $288 per diem; Northampton County Juvenile Detention Center, $195 per diem and Lebanon County Juvenile Detention Center, $160 per diem.

02/07/2003
New juvenile facility ready for business
By Fred Ney , Citizens' Voice Staff Writer

Luzerne County President Judge Michael Conahan, who was not present at Thursday's grand opening, commented later in the day that the county sends Northwestern from 140 to 160 juveniles annually for long-term residential treatment services.

Here's more on the legal filing by the Times Leader in the matter of PA ChildCare LLC vs. Steve Flood, Thomas Crofcheck, and Leonard Pocius to have the record unsealed mentioning Northwestern Human Services.

For some there just never is enough money on the planet.