Dear Editor:
I am sharing a deeply troubling and time-sensitive situation regarding the abrupt closure of Saint Peter’s Orphanage in Denville. This therapeutic residential facility has served adolescent boys in crisis for more than 160 years.
Although a nonprofit, Saint Peter’s contracts with the New Jersey Department of Children and Families (DCF) through the Children’s System of Care to provide residential treatment for vulnerable youth referred by the state. Many of our residents are developmentally disabled, rely on psychotropic medications, and have experienced severe trauma.
On April 4, 2025, the Board President informed staff that the orphanage would permanently close on May 1. This decision was made without any consultation with staff, residents, their schools, or state partners. Following an outcry, a brief extension to June 15 was granted, but from a clinical standpoint, this timeline remains dangerously inadequate and disruptive to the well-being of our residents.
There was no transparency or effort to explore fiscally responsible alternatives or long-term solutions.
The public deserves to know, and these young men deserve to be heard.
A petition to raise awareness and support has already been launched and can be viewed here.
Deon Hickson
