Out of state company wants to build center for unaccompanied children in Kansas City

An out of state company wants to develop a for-profit center for unaccompanied migrant children at the site of the now-closed Kindred Hospital in south Kansas City, Missouri.

VisionQuest has a troubling track record, and there are reports of physical and mental abuse and mistreatment at VisionQuest facilities. Multiple other cities and states have blocked the company’s efforts to open new shelters.

According to VisionQuest’s website they are “a national, comprehensive at-risk youth services organization, committed to provide highly successful intervention services to at-risk youth and their families. With more than 40 years of experience, VisionQuest provides youth and their families with extraordinary experiences and relationships to achieve their highest potential.”

The proposal to house young immigrants is on the City Plan Commission’s March 17th docket. And the Board of Zoning Adjustment is scheduled to hear the request in April. The zoning board, which has the final say on special-use permits, takes into consideration input from citizens and compatibility with the surrounding area.

Mayor Quinton Lucas, who calls the federal government’s child separation policy an “abomination,” has expressed opposition to opening a migrant youth facility in Kansas City.