Courtland City Council files decision on adolescent treatment center's business license

COURTLAND, Ala. (WHNT) — The Courtland City Council has tabled a vote to revoke the business license of an adolescent treatment center recently cited for several fire code violations.

The board was scheduled to consider revoking Brighter Paths Courtland's business license at its Monday meeting, but chose, after an executive session, to postpone the vote for 30 days.

Brighter Paths is a state-contracted behavioral health facility for children and adolescents. The facility has already been the subject of legal action and a scathing report regarding its conditions. Most recently, the establishment was cited for several fire code violations in May, including doors being locked from the outside.

News that 19 crews were scheduled to leave City Hall while the council was in executive session. After the council returned to regular session, it moved on to consider the issue of business licenses.

Courtland Fire Chief Scott Norwood said during executive session that Brighter Paths showed the council they had taken steps to address fire code issues.

He said he and Deputy Fire Chief Jason Jones plan to conduct an inspection Monday evening to assess whether the facility has addressed the issues he identified during his inspection last month.

“So myself and Chief Jones are going to be going to the Brighter Paths facility this evening and doing an inspection,” Norwood said, “and making sure that any life safety code violations that we found in may have been corrected.”

Norwood said any additional issues with the installation beyond the fire code issue should be addressed later.

Acting Courtland Police Chief Bill LaPradd said that while he could not comment on any criminal investigation involving the facility, the facility had received a subpoena to preserve records of employees and children dating back to January 2022.

“The allegations regarding this establishment have been going on for a long time,” he said. “So we're going to make sure that if we start looking at things, we're going to make sure that we're right. We're going to make sure that's accurate and do everything we can to protect these children.

Tommy James, a Birmingham attorney who represents children who say they reside at the facility, said his clients have been victims of abuse and neglect.

“It’s a house of horrors,” he said. “These kids have been traumatized in the past, and they’re traumatized again here.”

Some supporters and employees of the establishment at the meeting asked the city not to revoke its business license.

Norwood said the final decision on revoking the business license will depend on the results of its inspection.