WILKES-BARRE, Pa. -- Three of the Diocese of Scranton's long-term health care facilities in Wilkes-Barre will soon be sold to Allied Services.
Those facilities are Little Flower Manor and St. Therese Residence located beside one another on South Meade Street and St. Luke's Villa on East Northampton Street.
The diocese says it has been thinking about selling these properties since 2015.
"Over the last four years, challenges of running a health care business have gotten a lot more difficult from heightened regulations to decreased reimbursement rates. The health care industry has become extremely sophisticated and complicated. Our residents deserve the highest quality care, and the decision was made with their best interest in mind," said Bishop Joseph Bambera.
The facilities are run by about 400 employees and volunteers and house about 300 people.
Joe Morris' mother-in-law lives at Little Flower Manor.
"She's been here for, I believe, almost a year. It's a very nice place, big family," said Morris.
During a news conference held in Scranton, Bambera said that the money from the sale could go to victims of sexual abuse.
"While I stressed that the process that considering the sale of our long-term health care facilities began long before the report was released and is unrelated to the grand jury investigation, it is possible that some of the money received from this sale could go to the recently announced independent survivor's compensation program. We established that program to begin the healing of the survivors of sexual abuse," said Bambera.
The diocese says it chose Allied Services to purchase the facilities because it said it would do its best to operate the facilities as they always have been which includes keeping the staff.
"Well, I hope they keep it the same. I hope they keep the same people. The people in here are very nice, friendly. My wife's family, her sisters, they all love the personnel here. They treat her mother-in-law very well," said Morris.