By Kathy CHaffin

Salisbury Post

CONCORD — Piedmont Behavioral Healthcare’s decision to award the contract for six group homes to another provider has Rowan Homes officials determined to fight for the agency’s very existence.

“We’re not giving up the fight,” said Executive Director Jay Laurens. “That was the unanimous decision of our board of directors. That’s all I’m at liberty to say at this point.”

Laurens said he was disappointed at Piedmont Behavioral’s decision to award the contract for management of Rowan Homes’ six group homes for developmentally disabled adults to Cabarrus Group Homes Inc. effective Feb. 1. “We did not expect it to go to that point,” he said.

Laurens said Piedmont officials notified Barbara Setzer, Rowan Homes’ board president, of the decision last Thursday night. The agency issued a press release on Saturday.

Piedmont and Rowan Homes officials have been in an ongoing dispute over money, resulting in the Rowan Homes board’s refusal to sign its contract for the 2006-2007 fiscal year.

Dan Coughlin, Piedmont’s area director and CEO, said in the release, “While we want to recognize the genuine commitment of the Rowan Homes Board of Directors to this program and the consumers they have served, they have not been able to develop a successful solution to this problem over the several years that it has existed.”

For complete details, see Wednesday’s Salisbury Post.