During the Christmas Holiday weekend of December 24-25, 2022, Children’s Home of Northern Kentucky/CHNK Behavioral Health suffered serious property damage in the historic administration building at the main campus due to a ruptured water pipe. The pipe ruptured as a result of record-setting subzero windchills and blizzard-condition winds approaching 50 mph experienced throughout the region for multiple days during the holiday period. Outside housekeeping vendors undertaking routine maintenance notified CHNK leadership of the damage while onsite on December 26.
The ruptured pipe located in a restroom on the top floor of CHNK’s operational headquarters caused flooding on all four floors of the building which houses a wide spectrum of treatment and administrative spaces serving abused, neglected, traumatized, and at[1]risk youth and families throughout the Commonwealth of Kentucky and Greater Cincinnati. The headquarters plays a major role in the operation of all three CHNK Northern Kentucky locations.
The building was closed December 26-28 so that emergency remediation efforts could begin to limit damage to the affected areas. The weather-related incident resulted in collapsed ceilings on multiple floors, damage to flooring, and various furnishings. Key personnel housed in the 34,000 square foot center relocated to CHNK’s other two campuses and to various residential buildings while other associates worked remotely.
The damaged building houses classrooms and instructional space utilized by Covington Independent Public Schools in conjunction with CHNK Behavioral Health. The therapeutic day school at CHNK’s main campus serves hundreds of pupils annually who need specific treatment interventions for a wide range of mental and behavioral health issues. No students or faculty were present in the structure during the incident due to the holiday break.
CHNK also utilizes the facility for food preparation and dining services, medical services, and large event gatherings in addition to administrative offices and treatment services.
The blizzard temperatures also affected multiple painted walls inside the structure with a significant plaster cracks and interior paint peeling in sheets from the walls.
Dedicated in 1926, CHNK’s administration building was designed by Samuel Hannaford and Sons, one of the region’s most renowned architectural firms. It was originally built to house orphans at the Devou Park location following the move from a downtown Covington location where the children’s home was established in 1882.
CHNK leadership expects that clean up and repairs will take several weeks if not months to complete.
No damage occurred in any of the five residential buildings that CHNK Behavioral Health utilizes for psychiatric residential care and for housing youth in custody of the Commonwealth of Kentucky due to abuse and/or neglect.
Children’s Home of Northern Kentucky
