Mandala More Than a Lockdown

Michael Turansky teaches teenagers who have troubled pasts.

He works at Mandala Adolescent Treatment Center, a residential treatment facility in the New Port Richey area that serves teenage boys who have been through the justice system. Teenagers at Mandala have been ordered there by a court.

The challenge and unique nature of the job give him a charge.

"Every day there is a new problem or situation, and you have to deal with that," he said.

at the end of the month, and Turansky, who lives in New Port Richey, says he will need to find another job. He wants his next to offer a similar thrill.

"Anything else just seems mundane," he said.

Mandala is a lockdown facility that holds 14- to 18-year-old boys adjudicated by a court. The teens in it are considered a “moderate risk” to public safety.

The program is run by the mental health division of BayCare health care system under a contract from the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice. The contract expires June 30, and the state is not rebidding it. The end of the state contract means the end of the program.

Mandala provides a range of services for teenagers with mental health or substance abuse disorders, including individual, family and group therapies and psychiatric medical services.

Mandala is more than a place to keep teenagers in rough circumstances. It’s a place where they can pursue an education. The state says Mandala provides classes in English, math, science and social studies and offers electives and vocational training.

Turansky, 46,  is one of the two educators employed by the Pasco County School District to teach on site. He said he’s worked there a few months shy of 12 years.

He said Mandala teenagers could use the education to pursue high school diplomas or GEDs.    

“I’ve had students who have told me that they would not have passed algebra if it wasn’t for me,” Turansky said.

Turansky said that BayCare has kept employees informed about the closing and led it well. Still, employees were “stunned” when they first learned of the pending closure. He said he was told of the state’s decision back in April.

Turansky says he is certified to teach in multiple subjects and is set to begin a job search. He had already prepared to take some time off this summer, he said.

The trick is to find a job that offers a rush.

“I want to have something that’s a little bit different and a little bit off the beaten path,” he said.

The Mandala situation is not the only recent instance of the Department of Juvenile Justice seeking to discontinue funding for an alternative program in Pasco County. The department has come under fire for seeking to end its contract with an alternative school program run by AMIKids, a nonprofit. Pasco lawmakers and  local officials are seeking a solution to get funding for the AMIKids program in the upcoming fiscal year, which starts July 1.

On why not having alternative programs for young people is a bad thing, Turansky had this to say:

"Not having this option would mean not having a place to get better or people to help them get better," he said. 

Updated 8:21 p.m.,  June 14