*** UPDATED x1 *** Today’s must-read
Thursday, Nov 17, 2016 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Tribune…
The house had no address; the dead man had no name.
Illinois officials blacked out those details from their investigative report. Nobody else was supposed to learn the man’s identity or the location of the state-funded facility where his body was found.
The investigation was closed as it began, with no public disclosure, and the report was filed away, one of thousands that portray a hidden world of misery and harm.
No one would know that Thomas Powers died at 3300 Essington Road in unincorporated Joliet, in a group home managed for adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities.
Or that his caregivers forced a 50-year-old man with the intellect of a small child to sleep on a soiled mattress on the floor in a room used for storage.
Or that the front door bore a building inspection sticker that warned, “Not approved for occupancy.”
Not even Powers’ grieving family knew the state had looked into his death and found evidence of neglect.
As Illinois steers thousands of low-income adults with disabilities into private group homes, a Tribune investigation found Powers was but one of many casualties in a botched strategy to save money and give some of the state’s poorest and most vulnerable residents a better life. […]
The Tribune identified 1,311 cases of documented harm since July 2011 — hundreds more cases than publicly reported by the Illinois Department of Human Services.
Drop what you’re doing and go read the whole thing right now.
*** UPDATE *** From IARF President & CEO Janet Stover…
No one enters the vocation of providing community-based care to individuals with intellectual developmental/disabilities because it is easy or lucrative. The individuals and organizations dedicated to this field are driven by their compassion and a sense of mission. We are saddened when confronted with suffering by those we serve, we grieve with families in the face of unspeakable loss, and we continuously strive to minimize the risks in serving people.
While today’s story in the Chicago Tribune detailed tragic instances where supports for individuals failed, it also acknowledged the extreme difficulties that all community service providers face - even in the best of circumstances. Most importantly, as this story made clear, Illinois’ network of community-based services and supports are not operating under the best of circumstances, with reimbursement rates having been frozen by the state for nearly a decade.
The single most critical issue facing the provision of community-based services and supports is the inability to recruit and retain frontline staff. For years, our community has been sounding the alarm about this growing crisis. Unfortunately, just yesterday, the Illinois General Assembly failed to override the Governor’s veto of legislation that would have increased wages for these frontline workers. That legislation represented the greatest step we could have taken in addressing a core problem outlined in the Chicago Tribune’s story. Yesterday’s actions represent a serious setback to these efforts. However, our compassion, our sense of mission, and our commitment to serving and supporting individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities will keep us moving forward.
There were other important issues raised by the Chicago Tribune regarding transparency, effective oversight, and other ways to improve reporting and accountability. IARF and the organizations we represent always stand ready to advance and support meaningful reforms that are person-centered and improve quality of life. We welcome the opportunity to continue working with the individuals and families we serve and state government towards those ends.
- and what happened yesterday? - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 2:55 pm:
the legislature shot down a bill that was designed to address one of the core issues identified in this article - the inability to hire and retain good staff.
I feel horrible for the families of these individuals and others that want to know their sons and daughters are safe and living a quality life.
- Stark - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 2:56 pm:
Mandatory state watchdogs at all of these facilities or these residents’ blood is on Illinois state government’s hands. Full stop. We don’t have the money? That’s too damn bad. Find it. Ridiculous and abhorrently immoral.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 3:02 pm:
Federal grand jury time. The state can’t be trusted to investigate itself.
I’d advise against any shredding parties at DHS.
Great work by the Trib. This is what real journalism is supposed to be about, not silly personality conflicts. We’re in their debt for this one.
- Secret Square - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 3:04 pm:
Is something wrong with the link? I’ve tried it in three different browsers and still can’t read the story.
- Last Bull Moose - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 3:05 pm:
Nauseating. Feel physically ill.
So many mistakes; people moved to group homes who need institutional care, mixing people who should not be together, poor supervision, poor staffing, and inadequate pay. And way too much secrecy.
I fear that as the economy improves and the state tightens budgets further, the situation will get worse. The quality of staff will get worse and the desire to put people in group homes will strengthen.
- AlfondoGonz - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 3:07 pm:
Shameful. We as a people need to consider out priorities. The helpless remain that or worse if we don’t spare what we can to help.
- Anon - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 3:10 pm:
A very sad story and it reflects a very difficult situation that more money and staffing won’t resolve. To say otherwise demonstrates a lack of understanding of the disabled and the real challenges they, their families, and their caregivers face.
Hiding the problem doesn’t make it go away. Shame on DHS for doing that. Shame on the Trib for not digging deeper to follow the money trail to see if there is money going to company profits rather than care.
I hope that DHS can learn from the practices of other states that seem to be doing better.
God bless persons with disabilities and their families. They have more resiliency than most of us could ever hope to have.
- Ron - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 3:15 pm:
Wow, that is awful. Some people need to lose there jobs.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 3:18 pm:
=== Feel physically ill===
Same. I have a great aunt with severe Down’s Syndrome. Thankfully, she’s in a good place.
- BobO - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 3:20 pm:
Many individuals coming out of institutional programs require high levels of medical, social and behavioral care.
While Illinois may initially compensate for what is required, funding declines make it more difficult to provide increasing levels of care needed by these individuals.
The previously mentioned wage issue means that many organizations are unable to fill staff vacancies. Current surveys show a statewide vacancy rate close to 20%, with turnover exceeding 50% each year at the direct care level. These factors exacerbate conditions that could lead to lapses in the oversight of client care.
Additionally, low reimbursement rates make it difficult to find general doctors, psychiatrists, neurologists, dentists and other medical disciplines specific to the needs of individuals with disabilities.
I am certain that state officials know that community service organizations are inadequately funded and cannot find sufficient, appropriate direct care staffs and medical practitioners.
Also, the state has made it next to impossible to discharge an individual or receive additional support funding regardless of the severity of a particular person’s issues.
Earlier this year, despite the lack of medical professionals, the state attempted to pass a regulation that would not permit doctors or dentists to engage in en masse group home visits.
If an organization was fortunate enough to find someone willing to accept the Medicaid rate, plus make a house call, they should kiss the ground that this person walks on.
The state has created and fostered these terrible circumstances. They are equally if not more complicit when bad things happen.
- IllinoisBoi - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 3:26 pm:
Mentally disabled persons dying in neglect and squalor. Winning!
- Illinoised - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 3:31 pm:
My older brother has a developmental disability and I used to work in that field. I cried when I read the story. Now I am madder than hell.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 3:32 pm:
Bruce Rauner: “We can’t afford to be compassionate unless we are competitive”.
- PMG - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 3:36 pm:
This saddens me greatly, especially when I think of my own family members with disabilities. Mandatory reading for legislators, the governor, and citizens.
- Belle - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 3:37 pm:
So horrid.
My stomach is doing flips flops over this.
Things were not like this until the 80’s when the street population began to soar and disregard for others, not as fortunate as ourselves, became normal. But, this is beyond the pale.
The United States has a terrible reputation in the way we care for those we feel can be discarded. I’ve been in man countries and hear it over and over again.
- Anon221 - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 3:38 pm:
Instead of posing with beer and mustard or your evening out at Obed and Isaac’s for Twitter, go and make visits of places and people that matter, Mr. And Dr. Rauner. There is a Social Agenda out there, whether you want to face it or not. Your competitiveness is simply magnifying these issues. You can blame Madigan or Quinn or anyone else of your choosing, but you could start NOW turning these social issues around.
- Keyser Soze - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 3:40 pm:
Who knew? Some did.
- Earnest - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 3:41 pm:
>Bruce Rauner: “We can’t afford to be compassionate unless we are competitive”.
I don’t think he deserves the blame, other than for vetoing the funding increase for DSP wages, which probably would not have impacted these occurrences. As I posted under the “unintended consequences” post, this is over a decade in the making.
Under Rauner DHS/DDD has been working on improving choices and independent person-centered plans. It’s a long process. I have a lot of concerns about their approach, especially fearing it will favor large, corporate providers rather than smaller providers deeply rooted in their local communities.
DHS has long had some Quality Assurance issues. On the provider side, they complete duplicative surveys that take up a provider’s time and resources. On the DHS side, they’re not well-structured to deal with bad providers (and the providers in this story are decent, mission-based organization, not businesses after profits).
- so... - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 3:43 pm:
==Bruce Rauner: “We can’t afford to be compassionate unless we are competitive”.==
Nice try, but every incident cited in this story appears to pre-date Rauner. Rather, they occurred under Pat Quinn, who, you will recall, made a massive push to get disabled adults in these group homes rather than state institutions.
- Square Pegs - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 3:44 pm:
The saddest. And the line about Gov Rauner vetoing an increase in spending - shameful.
I hope there is public outcry.
I used to work for UCP in another state. These are complicated clients. Real people. With real feelings.
- illini - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 3:48 pm:
I read the entire article - was not certain I could finish it!
This is disturbing on so many,many levels that I don’t know where to begin. The flow of adjectives could be quite long.
As many have stated on this blog previously, it is the old, frail and dependent adults ( not forgetting about the children ) that are being impacted the most by the games that are being played in Springfield.
And the finger pointing will begin!
How in the world can we allow something like this to have gone on so long in Illinois without questions being raised. Is this what we as a state have become?
If you, or your family, can care for a dependent adult be comforted knowing they are well taken care of. Yet this is not always possible.
I determined, when I moved hack to my home town, that neither of my parents would end up in a nursing home or some other facility as their health declined. I was fortunate to be able to keep that promise - many families can not do the same. I was fortunate.
Thank you Rich for posting this very disturbing report. Every member of the GA needs to read this and any follow up that the Trib might do.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 3:49 pm:
I’m so emotionally shook right now…
I just can’t…
- Louis G. Atsaves - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 3:49 pm:
Just finished reading this lengthy and riveting series of articles. Living in a building unfit for occupancy being brought up to code through construction with no permits? With what, daily workers standing in parking lots at the local Menards? Under the auspices of our State?
Hollywood horror movies aren’t that deplorable.
More money alone isn’t going to solve the care problem. A careful investigation of the companies running these homes, and the backgrounds of the individuals involved with them would be a move in the right direction. Better licensing and regular routine inspection programs seem mandatory right now. Over the last decade I have seen articles where violent patients are placed in rooms next to helpless ones, with predictable results. Why hasn’t this practice ended yet?
We need a law here? Apparently we do. Common sense and logic.
The part that shocks me the most is the failure of medical care and dispensation of medication and basic medical care by those who are not nurses or licensed at much of anything.
A lot of people with good intentions are in the care business, but good intentions alone will not solve what I just read.
Reform the entire process from top to bottom, then figure out how to fund it adequately. And I would start the process immediately. Money alone isn’t going to stop what the Tribune highlighted in these awful articles.
- Jeff Park Mom - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 3:50 pm:
If only the article had appeared before the House failed to override Governor Rauner’s veto of a wage increase to address this crisis. Let’s hope it’s on the table when budget talks get serious.
- IllinoisBoi - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 3:51 pm:
I hope someone sends the Pope a copy of this story…
- Cable Line Beer Gardener - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 3:51 pm:
It would have been more appropriate if the Trib published this when the leaders of this State weren’t on a plane to Rome.
- GOV2016 - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 3:53 pm:
So sad and shameful. As a society, we should all be ashamed of ourselves.
- Aldyth - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 3:55 pm:
My niece, who has severe Intellectual Disabilities, is in a two person group home in Michigan. She’s aggressive and easily overstimulated. This is the best arrangement for her and allows her to have a good life and keep everyone around her safe.
In Illinois, it takes 7 to 8 people living in a group home to break even, because the funding is so low and hasn’t been increased in about a decade. Staff wages are so low that an agency is competing with McDonalds for employees. At McDonald’s you don’t have to toilet or feed the customers.
They say you can’t solve a problem by throwing money at it. This is a problem that can only be solved that way. It takes caring human beings and enough of them to provide an environment that is safe and committed to helping each individual live a fulfilling life - at whatever level of capability that may be.
My staff went eight years without a raise and they stayed because they cared and this is a small town.
Rauner didn’t care much about people who lived in his nursing homes. It was just another investment for the vulture capitalist to gut and dispose of once the value was taken out of it. Why would he be concerned that the people who work providing care to the least among us need make enough money so that they don’t leave to work at McDonald’s.
Rauner vetoed a living wage. That’s his answer.
- Eugene - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 3:57 pm:
To those who say more money won’t solve the problem: the article makes it clear that lack of money is exactly what is at the root of the problem. The system of care is in crisis NOW, the longer we wait to improve funding, the more vulnerable people will be at risk. Kudos to Heather Steans and Robyn Gabel for trying to tackle this issue - and shame on Governor Rauner who refuses to even seriously engage on the issue.
- Mouthy - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 3:59 pm:
Apparently some of the folks that ran Abu Ghraib have found a new line of work. Horrific..
- wordslinger - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 4:02 pm:
– Some people need to lose their jobs.–
It looks to be way beyond that. Read it again.
Through its exhaustive gumshoe work, the Trib has laid out a very reasonable case to the existence of an ongoing, systematic criminal coverup by elements in state government, over at least the last five years, of crimes committed against our most vulnerable citizens by those paid by us to protect them.
I’m guessing some people need to go to prison, for the crimes and for the coverup.
Anyone who has a story to tell, I’d suggest you contact the U.S. Attorney before they contact you. This one ain’t going away.
- SOIL M - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 4:05 pm:
This is the direct result of downsizing state facilities and subcontracting out of services that the state should have continued to provide. The providers only incentive is their own profit. You can not replace trained mental health workers with glorified babysitters and expect any other outcome. The conditions in these group homes are deplorable, yet the state has ignored them for years so as to not have to accept the responsibility and cost of reopening the facilities that were closed. Another outcome of closing mental health facilities is the thousands that are now housed in prisons after being put out on the streets due to closing of beds in other facilities. Yet those that ended up in DOC have better living conditions than many of the people in these group homes. You ask who knew? This governors administration and the last two governors and their admins knew as well. Yet they all allowed it and in some cases pushed for expansion of this cycle.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 4:05 pm:
These things were happening under Governor Quinn. When they were attempting to close MurrayCenter we told the people under Quinn….Kevin Casey, Mark Doyle, Derrick DuFresne, Michelle Saddler, and Gov. Quinn about this abuse and neglect. So many of our Murray individuals came from CILA homes where they were abused, neglected, sodomized, and the state under Quinn did NOTHING. We were laughed at, called ignorant, and called dumb southern Illinois hicks. My brother lives in a CILA with the same funding as these CILAs that allowed this abuse, and they have managed to run a good CILA. Yes, we need an increase in DSP wages, but this was happening long before Governor Rauner. The Murray people turned in the providers that Gov. Quinn’s people moved to terrible CILAs where they were not fed, given medicine, bathed, etc. This was documented by a guardian ad litem and the state of Illinois under Quinn did NOTHING. These homes were turned in to OIG over 20 times and nothing was done. When the fox is guarding the hen house how can anyone expect something better.
- DownStateGrl - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 4:08 pm:
“Whatever you do unto the least of these you do unto me.”
- Behind the Scenes - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 4:12 pm:
Words fail me…
- AlfondoGonz - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 4:15 pm:
I encourage the fingerpointers to think of this as a “we” problem more than we think of it as a “[insert whomever you’d prefer to blame]” problem.
I’m not ignoring that our executive has made it clear that he places such poor soul lower on the totem pole. He does. But it is our collective acquiescence to the marginalizing of the helpless that allows for this to happen, more than anything else.
It’s a “we” problem. Myself included.
- plutocrat03 - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 4:16 pm:
“Mentally disabled persons dying in neglect and squalor. Winning!”
Do you really want to go down that road? Democrats in charge most of the time , overworked union staff not ringing the bell to report the abuse?
A time to reflect on the shame of inadequate oversight regardless of party…..
- Eugene - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 4:17 pm:
Yes, Pat Quinn’s hands are not clean on this issue. But Rauner has been Governor for two years. He’s in charge now, and has done nothing meaningful to improve the situation.
- Lycurgus - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 4:18 pm:
Shocking. Thanks to the tribune for bringing this out of the shadows.
- Simple Simon - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 4:19 pm:
My grandma worked at the Jacksonville State Hospital for decades. She and her coworkers loved the patients almost like their own, and she was sick with worry when the hospital was closed. While the hospitals could be grim, and abuses certainly happened, how was it worse than this? Community based living seems like a better option for some, when done well, but clearly not for all. And when done poorly, it seems to be worse all around.
- go sox - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 4:21 pm:
this speaks to a much larger moral issue - that each person deserves to live life with dignity, yet we often fail to extend that dignity to society’s most vulnerable and marginalized citizens. low-income citizens with intellectual and developmental disabilities are increasingly forced to confront an unfair distribution of society’s burdens.
in this case, a number of actors (people, organizations, and the state of illinois itself) contributed toward depriving that man from both living with dignity and even dying with dignity.
notwithstanding, the state has failed as a safety net and we have failed as human beings.
- Wensicia - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 4:26 pm:
The state will surpass Chicago in payments for wrongful death and abuse by the time all of this is investigated and more crimes are revealed. It won’t matter how many heads roll if new protections for the disabled aren’t passed into law so never again will this happen to anyone with severe and profound disabilities.
- Mama - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 4:31 pm:
Did anyone at DHS conduct onsite audits to insure the disabled were/are being properly cared for? The governor should make sure there is enough money for DHS case workers to do unannounced visits to these sites. Unannounced visits are the only way to know what is truly happening in these places. The family members need to check on their love ones often and be informed with how and where to report abuse.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 4:31 pm:
–The Tribune identified 1,311 cases of documented harm since July 2011 — hundreds more cases than publicly reported by the Illinois Department of Human Services.
Confronted with those findings, Human Services officials retracted five years of erroneous reports and said the department had launched reforms to ensure accurate reporting.
To circumvent state secrecy, the Tribune filed more than 100 public records requests with government agencies. But state files were so heavily redacted and unreliable that the newspaper had to build its own databases by mining state investigative files, court records, law enforcement cases, industry reports, federal audits, grant awards and Medicaid data.–
There needs to be a public justification from the executive branch as to that massive level of aggressive stonewalling.
Again, magnificent work by Berens and Callahan, no thanks to state officials.
- AlfondoGonz - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 4:32 pm:
“Unfortunately, just yesterday, the Illinois General Assembly failed to override the Governor’s veto of legislation that would have increased wages for these frontline workers. That legislation represented the greatest step we could have taken in addressing a core problem outlined in the Chicago Tribune’s story.”
It very well may not be the case, but in response to this particular article, this almost sounds like “Pay me to care more.”
Perhaps my emotions are running high from the content of the article. I’m happy to be corrected.
- Mama - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 4:37 pm:
“Unfortunately, just yesterday, the Illinois General Assembly failed to override the Governor’s veto of legislation that would have increased wages for these frontline workers. That legislation represented the greatest step we could have taken in addressing a core problem outlined in the Chicago Tribune’s story. Yesterday’s actions represent a serious setback to these efforts.”
Rich, do you know why this story did not to public prior to yesterday’s vote on the governor’s veto? Mama is NOT Happy that our legislature was not provided with this information prior to voting.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 4:40 pm:
Have to disagree AlfondoGonz. Yes, higher pay for DSPs is important but if the providers (owners) don’t use that money correctly, and if there is not oversight…..unannounced inspections, holding OIG accountable nothing will change. My brother’s CILA provider with the same funding as those in the article is doing a good job; not easy but they care, and don’t allow this to happen. It has to start at the top with providers who are doing it to care for the individuals; not as a money making scheme. Shameful.
- Wensicia - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 4:43 pm:
==“Pay me to care more.”==
No, pay more to get staff who are better qualified and educated to serve this population, as is the case in state institutions for the developmentally disabled.
- ILPundit - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 4:44 pm:
@AlfondoGonz
The Trib story spoke directly to the wage issue and how it is causing problems, and mentioned the Governor’s veto.
These are challenging jobs. The state is paying wages below the level most can make sweeping the floor at McDonald’s. This isn’t about “pay me to care more”, its about, “pay to recruit and retain quality staff”
- Chicago_Downstater - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 4:49 pm:
I do not care who we blame. I just want it fixed ASAP! We can decide who to blame after our fellow Illinoisans stop dying in neglect and squalor.
There is no excuse. Fix it. Fix it now.
- WhoKnew - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 4:49 pm:
- AlfondoGonz -
I would say its more “Don’t expect me to starve, just because I care!”
- AlfondoGonz - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 4:51 pm:
I read the article. It’s obvious that these places need more funding. What’s not obvious, to me, is how higher wages = doing your job better.
Now, don’t mistake me. I believe these people deserve more money. I believe these facilities need more money. But I don’t understand how increased wages correlate with better job performance, outside of improved morale of the workers, which, when it comes down to it, is a personal choice.
If the idea is that higher wages would attract better workers, than ok, I can get behind that. But as things stand, once you have the job, how well you do it should not be tied to how much you get paid.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 4:56 pm:
@AlfondoGonz
It’s not so much that “higher wages = doing your job better.” I think the premise is more higher wages = better job candidates.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 4:57 pm:
Illinois version of Flint Michigan….saving money one privatization effort at a time. More to come under Rauner.
- Chicago_Downstater - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 4:58 pm:
Sorry, Anonymous @ 4:56 PM was me.
That article has me real shook.
- Dome Gnome - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 4:59 pm:
Six years ago, I quit my profession to stay home with my adult daughter who has a developmental disability and some unrelated physical conditions. I don’t regret this decision but I acknowledge that few families can afford to rearrange their households and finances to give care to a family member when it’s needed. Articles like this reaffirm that I made the right choice, but they also stir up feelings of anger at the state and compassion for the affected families. God save the souls of the bureaucrats responsible for a system so dysfunctional that I upended my life to avoid placing my daughter anywhere near it. Meanwhile, in Rome, Nero fiddles.
- Mama - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 5:00 pm:
The care-givers who treated these people worse than a rabid dog can not be mentally stable. I feel the state needs to find a way to conduct a mental assessment of all care-givers of the disabled.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 5:07 pm:
Anon 3:10 - “Shame on the Tribune for not…” Really? Shoot some other messenger.
“More money and staffing won’t resolve” It may not be sufficient, but both are a necessary part of any solution.
- bobhail - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 5:12 pm:
Very disturbing. Unfortunately, this isn’t a new type of story and my guess is that the root cause isn’t related to moving people from institutions to community-based housing.
Remember this series of articles on nursing home deaths from the Chicago Tribune in 2010?
After 13 deaths since 2000, nursing home for disabled is making changes
http://trib.in/2f99S9B
Regardless of the model of care, there needs to be adequate resources for regular inspections and investigating complaints, as well as to train and pay workers.
- Responsa - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 5:20 pm:
I needed to settle down for a while after reading the article. It seems like (now that it is known) caring for the most severely physically and mentally disabled can be improved rather more easily with proper staffing, better oversight, medication, and segregation from the most violent and sexually disturbed ones. We must demand this. But my god, what is to he done in our society about those who are not in their right minds– but that are also strong and violent and both a danger and threat to the lives of caregivers and other patients? It does not seem like they should ever be candidates for a group home situation. But are there places suitable for housing and treating these folks in Illinois any more?
- Lt Guv - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 5:20 pm:
Tom Dart. Back when I worked in the House, Tom got the Edgar administration to change course from “Families First” because it damaged children. I’ll never forget calling Royko and getting him to bite on the story.
Tom could effectively lead the charge on this.
- Genesis - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 5:21 pm:
Thanks for sharing Rich. I, also was fortunate to be able to take care of a loved one, my elderly mother. She was in no Nursing Home. My heart goes out to these families and patients. I think it’s just shameful any representative, Democrat or Republican, would vote on not increasing wages for Frontline workers. How do people sleep at night?’
- JS Mill - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 5:26 pm:
I am in a state of complete disgust and anger.
There is no excuse for this, not acceptable in a civil society.
Nothing can undue what has been done. The only way if to move forward with thorough justice. No stone unturned, no politics.
- sal-says - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 5:27 pm:
Kudos to tronc for the work & reporting.
The occurrences are appauling. But every decision has its consequences. Keep in mind The Billionaire’s veto. Never forget.
And these will continue. In IL. In America.
- ExpletiveDeleted - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 5:28 pm:
Spent some time as an RN at an SODC. Too much to type on a phone. Google Ligas v Homas. This was forced on the State by “advocates” like ARC. Not PQ’s fault. Not Rauner’s fault. Want to blame someone? Blame the ones making money off the new system.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 5:37 pm:
Responsa…..these individuals are cared for with love and professional at Murray Center. More than half the individuals at Murray have severe behavorial issues, but these are able to be cared for at Murray with the structured, caring environment. That’s why we have state centers.
- close at any cost - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 5:39 pm:
WHY? Illinois was determined to close the Jacksonville Developmental Center (and others).
HOW? Ignore, hide and lie about what was happening in these small group homes.
WHO? Zealots such as the ARC of Illinois and heads of DHS departments (such as Kevin Casey)
who were more concerned about ideology than the care of real, live human beings.
- David - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 8:21 pm:
Does anyone read Honeybear? I wish I was surprised.
- Honeybear - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 10:58 pm:
David, Not sure I know what you mean. I was away all day just now reading capfax.
When I was in hospice there was a particularly bad group home that I used to visit a patient named Mike. It was bad. Real bad. Everything in this article is accurate. Mike couldn’t speak. He could only make horrifying screeching sounds. The facility staff neglected him often. Our CNA’s would make extra visits just to get him cleaned up. Our hospice staff brought childrens posters in and stuffed animals. I had an old TV with a vcr in it and a bunch of old VeggieTales tapes. We would watch them together. When excited he would start his screeching noises but he was simply excited. Once it was apparent that someone cared about him and that we were watching the staff care improved. But group homes are horrific. Thank you for posting.
- Honeybear - Thursday, Nov 17, 16 @ 11:07 pm:
Now that I think on it though at that very same facility there where better places for the more well to do. Mike was abandoned decades ago. But this other patient we had was in a good situation. His caregivers were good and consistent. He was happy and always interested in trains. He had an engineers cap and would “write” train schedules in his notebook. (meaningless scribbles) And man did he LOVE hymns! He new every word but they made him sleepy funny enough. He’d be sound asleep after the third verse. Then wake up 10 minutes later wanting to sing more. Jerry was his name.
The point is that Jerry’s family had money. Jerry got better care.
Mike had no one. Well he had the hospice staff. We did a lovely memorial service for him.
- Help needed - Friday, Nov 18, 16 @ 1:35 am:
Follow the money they always say….who made the most money closing Jacksonville…Derrick Dufrense, The ARC of Illinois, Kevin Casey, Mark Doyle, Al Condolucci? All of the above?
- Anonymous - Friday, Nov 18, 16 @ 8:19 am:
Contracting, privatization…. I wonder if this is one of Rauner’s companies or a friends of his companies?
- VanillaMan - Friday, Nov 18, 16 @ 8:24 am:
This is what happens when a government stops seeing us as citizens and instead sees us ands tax paying customers.
The idea that we’re shipping citizens off to be cared for by contractors is like going back to having private prisons a hundred years ago.
We must demand that citizens receive care through accountable public organizations.
We have to stop pretending that we can ship citizens off to unaccountable hell hello less holes.
- Anonymous - Friday, Nov 18, 16 @ 8:25 am:
Contracted or private agencies, LLC’s, Non for Profits and/or for profit organizations don’t have to disclose their financial data.
The way this works, direct care staff, the people changing diapers on adults, or cleaning up their mess or assuring they are safe, don’t benefit from the salary distribution. Upper level management benefit, with direct care staff receiving minimum wage, or slightly above minimum wage.
The mere nature of these organizations hide that salary distribution.
With state government providing direct care, there is public disclosure, from salaries, to care, to programming.
Let’s privatize more services in Illinois.
- SOIL M - Friday, Nov 18, 16 @ 8:44 am:
After coming back to this article this morning, I have to agree with some earlier posts. At this point it doesnt matter who is to blame. The problem of these group homes has to be fixed now. Finger pointing and placing of blame can happen later. Change the system that allows this to happen now. It doesnt matter who caused this or who knew the only thing that matters is who fixes it.
- Anon - Friday, Nov 18, 16 @ 9:35 am:
It doesn’t take money to wash and care for these helpless souls. It just needs compassionate people willing to do the work. The outrage should be directed at those collecting our tax dollars and not doing their job! Throwing more money at the problem does not and will not end this travesty. Better oversight of the staff is what is needed. Replace the lazy and selfish and find people willing and able to do their job.
- just me - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 11:10 am:
The article left out a few facts. First, there is an abundance of oversight at all the agencies mentioned in this story, including unannounced visits by several agencies. Second, employees were dismissed, and in some cases, faced criminal charges in some of these cases, which is exactly what should happen. Those employees had multiple background checks prior to employment and passed them all. This article makes it sound as though nobody cares and no actions were taken before or after events in these cases, which is simply not true. It is a slanted article that does not reflect the full picture in any of the cases.
- Yogi - Monday, Nov 21, 16 @ 11:31 pm:
Do the reporters understand the likely results of their stories? Providers will have no choice but to discharge those difficult individuals who require more staffing and protections. Who wants to be sued for bad things that are out of your control? I hope Murray is big enough to accommodate everybody!