‘Heartbreaking decision’ to split with Manitowoc County CCS wasn’t made lightly, The Production Farm CEO says
MANITOWOC — “Sometimes mental health looks like a jacket, sometimes it looks like a pair of shoes,” said Wyatt Kuether, The Production Farm's CEO and founder, as he described his program’s unique approach to helping kids.
Open for about a decade, The Production Farm looks at the variables of what a client needs to get better and creates highly individualized care plans.
“Our methods work,” Kuether said. “We’ve had a kid who went from hiding under a table chewing on their hoodie to now being a regular teen leading a full life. We can see that this works.”
So, he got a bit teared up describing The Farm’s decision to end its contract with Manitowoc County Comprehensive Community Services, or CCS, to provide its skill-building program.
Kuether sent a letter to the county stating the partnership would end April 30. He said he did not receive a response from CCS officials.
“Everything we do, every day, is in an effort to deliver our mental and behavioral health care services to those in need to the highest level or our expertise,” he said in the statement.
“This decision was not made lightly," Kuether added. "Unfortunately, due to obstacles and constraints beyond our control, we have been left with no other choice.”
He said the county had not certified any of The Farm’s staff for months, and that without certification, The Farm has no staff and cannot offer services. They decided, instead, to cut ties on this county partnership and enhance relationships with schools and other counties.
“I don’t know what happens in another organization (the county) or why we hit this roadblock,” he said. “I just know. This is the hardest decision I’ve had to make. It was not a rash decision.”
CCS referred the Herald Times Reporter to Manitowoc County Corporation Counsel Peter Conrad for an answer about why the county had not certified any of The Farm's staff for months.
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Conrad said Monday he had read Kuether’s letter.
“This appears to be a unilateral decision by The Production Farm,” Conrad said. “Beyond that, I don’t know enough about the situation to comment.”
Kuether said staff have started termination talks with clients.
“We tell kids it’s not their fault,” he said. “We will do whatever we can to support them. But there is a population of folks we won’t be able to help. It’s heartbreaking.”
Related: Gardening, cooking eggs and playing in a band: The unique therapy found at The Production Farm
In the past decade, The Production Farm has grown from two founding staff members to a behavioral and mental health clinic with more than 36 employees who work across several counties in northeastern Wisconsin.
The Farm purchased and made its home base a 10-acre farm in Whitelaw. In 2022, it added a community facility in Sheboygan County.
Kuether said the program will continue to do psychotherapy work as well as maintain its partnerships with school districts and other community groups.
“We ask for your patience and understanding as we move through this transition and have difficult conversations with our facilitators, families and stakeholders,” he said.
When asked if he would consider working with CCS again with the skill-building program, Kuether said: “We are always willing to work with anyone. Our goal is to help as many people as possible.”
Contact reporter Patti Zarling at pzarling@gannett.com or call 920-606-2575. Follow her on X @PGPattiZarling and on Instagram @PGPatti.
This article originally appeared on Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter: Production Farm splits with Manitowoc County CCS, county has no comment
