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Sunday, August 18, 2019

DSHS Closes Spokane Group Home; Abuse/Neglect



     I wonder how many unannounced visits were made to assure compliance and safety? My guess would be none. I would love to learn I was wrong and that DSHS had adopted new quality assurance policies aimed at prevention of such deaths instead of simply depending on complaints and reports of non-compliance or abuse.
Aug. 15 2019 Facebook Post
Cheryl Felak
August 15 at 12:26 PM
Another death and multiple people hurt due to lack of staffing, training and oversight. We must correct this abuse.
DSHS initiates contract termination of Spokane supported living provider
Release Date:
Aug 13 2019
DSHS Office of Communications
Lisa Copeland
lisa.copeland@dshs.wa.gov
(360) 902-7844
OLYMPIA - The Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) is terminating a supported living provider contract because of a number of incidents at one of its Spokane residential programs.
Over the past several months, Aacres Spokane received several citations from Residential Care Services (RCS) based on serious non-compliance with the law and regulations to properly care for its nearly 60 clients. Most notably, a 64-year-old woman died following a medication administration error, and for failure to comply with mandatory abuse and neglect reporting requirements.
“We have lost confidence in Aacres Spokane,” said Evelyn Perez, Assistant Secretary for the Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA). “Not being in compliance with regulations and ensuring the health and safety of our clients is unacceptable.”
Perez added that DDA will work with the clients, families, guardians and providers on a smooth transition, and will offer them opportunities to choose a different service provider.
DSHS will continue to work with communities, lawmakers, stakeholders, advocates and others to provide suitable living options for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
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DSHS does not discriminate and provides equal access to its programs and services for all persons without regard to race, color, gender, religion, creed, marital status, national origin, sexual orientation, age, veteran’s status or the presence of any physical, sensory or mental disability.

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I'm reading: DSHS Closes Spokane Group Home; Abuse/NeglectTweet this! Posted by Saskia Davis at 11:32 PM

1 comment:

  1. Saskia DavisAugust 18, 2019 at 11:50 PM

    The non-discrimination claim made at the end of the letter seems a little disingenuous. Unless there has been a recent, radical policy change in Washington State, people needing care in a residential habilitation center are not afforded their legal right to one. Instead, they, first, must be granted a very-difficult-to-obtain exception to policy. Usually the exception is not granted until it has been proven that the person cannot be successfully served by state paid, privatized community vendors. If the person finally succeeds in being admitted to the RHC, discharge planning is required.
    There is a waiting list ("data base") of people waiting for placement in "community" venues, but the last time I looked at the written policy, there was no such data base for people requesting RHC services. To me, this looks like discrimination against people needing the support of the full service therapeutic communities (RHCs).

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