Troubleshooters: Groton Nonprofit Caring for Migrant Child Separated from Parents

The NBC Connecticut Troubleshooters have confirmed that Noank Community Support Services, a Groton nonprofit, is currently caring for a child separated from their parent due to the Trump Administration’s 'zero tolerance' border policy on families crossing the border illegally.

The child was transported to Connecticut from an undisclosed area near the United States-Mexico border.

He or she is one of the thousands of minors who have been separated from their parents or guardians as part of a Trump Administration policy designed to discourage entering the United States illegally.

The agency wouldn’t share many specifics but tells us that the child has been in phone contact with the parent and that the nonprofit is in the process of reuniting them.

The group’s executive director, Dr. Regina Moller, told The Troubleshooters that it runs a family like home for unaccompanied minors and they are fully accredited and licensed by the state of Connecticut.

Moller said her group provides individual and group therapy to help the children deal with the trauma of being separated.  She said they offer life and language skill training.  She added the kids have access to recreational activities, field trips and faith services of their choosing.

Noank receives funding from the U.S. Health and Human Services Administration to shelter children until they can reunite them with family.

We’ve also learned the federal government asked if Noank could take a second child separated from family at the U.S.-Mexican border, but that it does not currently have another bed available.

Moller adds that the organization takes children seeing asylum and that they successfully reconnect them with family.

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