ZELIENOPLE — The state Department of Human Services has reached a settlement with Glade Run regarding the licensing of one of its campus facilities.

Glade Run is a residential treatment facility that houses nearly 100 youths ages 8 to 21.

Lutheran Services has agreed to “unprecedented increases in staffing and oversight at Glade Run and its other remaining facilities” as part of the settlement, according to a release from DHS.

“These steps, along with the removal of all staff involved, will not only help ensure the safety of the children at this more than 100-year-old facility, but also improve the level of care at all of the facilities operated by Lutheran Services,” DHS press secretary Kait Gillis said in the release.

The settlement comes after several months of investigating by the DHS into allegations of child-on-child sexual abuse involving seven youths between the ages of 8 and 13, mostly male.

DHS only will restore the facility’s license after the implementation of the additional staff and heightened supervision. DHS will increase inspections, both announced and unannounced, to ensure that these new levels are maintained for five years.

Glade Run executive director Sheila Talarico said the facility is “certainly appreciative of the cooperation with the Department of Human Services to arrive at a settlement that will allow us to continue our programming.”

She also said “several” staff members were terminated after the sexual abuse incidents.

“We’re also adding additional staff specifically in the evening and overnight hours,” Talarico said.

The conditions of the settlement will remain in effect for five years.

Here are some of the conditions:

n Observational checks will be given and documented for children every 30 minutes during awake and sleep hours

n New staff-to-child ratios will be implemented. One child care worker will be with children for every six children who are age 6 or older during awake hours. One child care worker will be with children for every 10 children who are age 6 or older during sleep hours. One child care worker will be with children for every four children who are age 6 or older during community activities

n A new director will be employed for McCoid Cottage, where the alleged abuse took place. The previous director will not be employed in any capacity

n Glade Run will develop and employ a management supervision where observation of children will be staggered and documented. The director or supervisor will observe children at each campus facility at least twice per eight-hour shift

n For three years, Glade Run will not submit an application for licensure to operate a new child residential or day treatment facility in Pennsylvania.

The facility where the activity occurred is an annex with four, 14-bed cottages. Three of those cottages are female quarters and the other is McCoid, the male cottage, according to Glade Run’s website. It is the largest facility on campus and has 43 residents and 56 beds.

The investigation by police and ChildLine started in August when a child was taken to a hospital with injuries consistent with sexual abuse.

Investigators said the alleged abuse took place between March and July last year. Forensic interviews were done on the children involved in the incident.

“This is large-scale,” Zelienople Police Chief Jim Miller said. “Most of the time we deal with it, there’s one accuser and one actor.”

“I couldn’t even give you a number of hours,” Miller said about the amount of time spent on the investigation.

One of the children involved in the alleged abuse was dismissed from the facility, although this was planned.

The activity occurred while adult staff members were on duty, but the DHS cited lack of supervision as a reason why the activity occurred.

No charges were brought by the county after the district attorney’s office “could not establish that any of the adults actually knew what was going on.”

The 56-bed facility at Glade Run where the activity took place was stripped of its license in October by the DHS. Glade Run immediately appealed the decision.

The campus has three other child residential treatment facilities, each with its own DHS license.

Glade Run stated in a release, “The safety of our clients remains our first priority, and we are committed to providing the safest environment for their treatment and recovery.”