Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

Dimas pledges more transparency after Tribune probe

Posted in:

Illinois

Illinois group homes for adults with disabilities will face tougher licensing standards and enforcement and they will be graded for the first time on quality and safety, a top official for the Illinois Department of Human Services vowed to state legislators Tuesday.

Secretary James Dimas told Senate and House lawmakers that his department has launched more than a dozen reform measures to heighten enforcement of 3,000 group homes statewide and increase public transparency involving the care of 12,000 adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

He spoke at a bipartisan Senate and House hearing convened in response to a Chicago Tribune investigation, “Suffering in Secret,” which exposed how Illinois has steered thousands of the state’s poorest and most vulnerable residents with disabilities into a network of state-funded group homes, then routinely obscured evidence of harm from the public.

One of the most sweeping reforms outlined by Dimas would provide limited public access to previously sealed investigative files. The department is working with the Illinois attorney general’s office to provide group home addresses and full enforcement histories to families and guardians. […]

The Tribune reported that Human Services’ enforcement arm, the Office of Inspector General, had sealed thousands of investigative files, redacted group home addresses from public records and concealed the oversight process so thoroughly that outsiders could not determine when or where investigations occurred or what action, if any, was taken.

* Sen. Daniel Biss ran the committee and this is part of his press release yesterday…

“I appreciate the testimony of Secretary Dimas and Inspector General McCotter, as well as the action they already have taken to address problems and their recommendations for changes going forward.

“However, I am disappointed that some of my colleagues in the legislature view this crisis as an opportunity for political finger-pointing rather than a moment for bipartisan cooperation to save lives and pave the way for a better future for vulnerable Illinoisans.

“Let’s not pretend that the solutions to this very serious problem lie in the past. The solutions can only be found in partnership with the current governor and his administration – one that went to great lengths to conceal important information about group home abuse and neglect from the public, from the victims’ families and from the media.

“It is incumbent upon Gov. Rauner to give this crisis the attention it deserves, to put forth a budget for the state of Illinois and to ensure financial and staff resources are put where they’re most desperately needed today.

“Not only does that include working with the Legislature to designate money to properly pay group home caregivers, it also means immediately filling the lapsed gubernatorial appointments on the board that oversees these group homes for developmentally disabled adults.”

* Related…

* Judge demands group home business hand over residents, cites risk of ‘injury’

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Dec 14, 16 @ 1:47 pm

Comments

My sense, based on admittedly spotty contacts, is that Rauner has put some serious and effectual top managers in his agencies. They are trying to do the right things in an awfully trying environment. A shame many have to deal with no labor agreement, uncertainty, and no budget. Biss’ communication is spot on.

Comment by walker Wednesday, Dec 14, 16 @ 1:58 pm
In other words, only Madigan-Bullied Biss gets to point fingers.

Ah. Real state-wide material there.

Comment by Deft Wing Wednesday, Dec 14, 16 @ 2:00 pm
We can measure our societal success by how well we treat our most delicate citizens. We have a long way to go before we can claim to be an evolved society.

Comment by Dome Gnome Wednesday, Dec 14, 16 @ 2:04 pm
It is unfortunate that Sen. Biss engages in the very political finger pointing that he calls out. While it is true that no governor over the last 30 years has budgeted sufficient funds to safely operate community homes, neither has the legislature passed bills that adequately fund these services. The Dept. of Human Services-DD Division has had to make do with basically the same amount of money for community agencies every year on a per person basis. If the Senator wants to really address this perhaps he will advocate with the Speaker to put together a budget plan that funds the needs of this population rather than what they think they can get away with. If all this is just another political show trial then we are truly run by an immoral and ineffective group of legislators in this state.

Comment by NeverPoliticallyCorrect Wednesday, Dec 14, 16 @ 2:07 pm
Biss did not get bullied.

Biss got out maneuvered. Biss’ own whining about not being savvy enough to get and keep support is framed by his own poorly chosen words for something he never had within his grasp. If Biss wanted to look weaker than what happened, he succeeded, but Biss was the bullied.

Scott Lee Cohen, an elected nominee for Lt. Governor, Cohen got bullied.

Biss felt hurt and got out-worked.

To the Post,

The important thing is to correct. Posturing by any, or framing this specific item, right now, should be about those hurt and making sure these tragedies don’t occur again.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Dec 14, 16 @ 2:15 pm
Deft, your name is a misnomer. Try reading the story to understand the criticism from Biss. To wit, “The Tribune reported that Human Services’ enforcement arm, the Office of Inspector General, had sealed thousands of investigative files, redacted group home addresses from public records and concealed the oversight process so thoroughly that outsiders could not determine when or where investigations occurred or what action, if any, was taken.”

Comment by Precinct Captain Wednesday, Dec 14, 16 @ 2:16 pm
–I am disappointed that some of my colleagues in the legislature view this crisis as an opportunity for political finger-pointing–

*point* *point* *point*

Seems like there is plenty of blame to go around, for instituting this system, allowing it to decay to the point it has, and not reacting quicker to fix it. Seems bi-partisan to me.

Comment by Ron Burgundy Wednesday, Dec 14, 16 @ 2:21 pm
PC, you remind me of a certain goofy and prolific nit-wit commenter. Going forward please read, think, and then post.

Madigan-Bullied Biss said: “However, I am disappointed that some of my colleagues in the legislature view this crisis as an opportunity for political finger-pointing …

And then Madigan-Bullied Biss went ahead and engaged in political finger pointing by saying: “It is incumbent upon Gov. Rauner to give this crisis the attention it deserves, …”

Sorry if that seemingly glaring and unmistakable contradiction was missed by you.

Again: Read, think, and then post. Thanks.

Comment by Deft Wing Wednesday, Dec 14, 16 @ 2:25 pm
No matter what the legislature or DHS does it will mean nothing if enough people are not hired to police these home and the Governor has already made it clear that state employees cost too much money. The people needed to do this work will have to have some type of authority and credentials to perform the job. Perhaps the Governor will privatize this function. Lets see how that turns out!

Comment by STILL WATERS Wednesday, Dec 14, 16 @ 2:26 pm
Remember you were hired to represent all of the people of IL not just the ones with large pockets of gold.

Stop playing politics, and start protecting those who can not protect themselves.

Comment by MAMA Wednesday, Dec 14, 16 @ 2:30 pm
==- Deft Wing - Wednesday, Dec 14, 16 @ 2:25 pm:==

Rauner is the governor. He appoints and runs the executive and administrative agencies of the state. It is his responsibility to reform them when problems arise. Even if there were pre-existing problems, he is the one in the hot seat now. What happened when inquiries were made? Rauner and his team “sealed thousands of investigative files, redacted group home addresses from public records and concealed the oversight process so thoroughly that outsiders could not determine when or where investigations occurred or what action, if any, was taken.”

Comment by Precinct Captain Wednesday, Dec 14, 16 @ 2:34 pm
===Madigan-Bullied Biss===

That won’t work on a coffee mug or t-shirt… maybe not even on a trucker-style hat.

You really need better framing, lol.

The point in this should still be about those effected.

If there is pointing to take place, it better have some evidence, and come with real sanctions. Otherwise it’s all a disservice to the victims.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Dec 14, 16 @ 2:35 pm
**And then Madigan-Bullied Biss went ahead and engaged in political finger pointing by saying: “It is incumbent upon Gov. Rauner to give this crisis the attention it deserves, …”**

“Finger pointing” - DeftWing - I don’t think that means what you think it means.

Comment by JoeMaddon Wednesday, Dec 14, 16 @ 2:40 pm
Before someone starts bashing Biss, if you were listening or watching the hearing, Rep. Bryant started asking why former DHS staff were not in the room and she wanted them there. Then Rep. Meier went on a rant about former DHS staff under PQ. Biss stated, the PQ folks have been gone for almost two years and he would not be asking them to appear.

As our friend OW likes to say, Governor’s Own, and guess what Meier and Bryant, your guy owns this.

Comment by Give Me A Break Wednesday, Dec 14, 16 @ 2:43 pm
Please read the Tribune articles.

DHS, for years, failed to investigate because
(1) the small group homes failed to report abuse or were allowed to self-investigate (so the abuser investigated their own abuse).
(2) parts of DHS did not want to investigate because that would reflect badly on small group homes (CLIAs) and parts of DHS wanted to close State centers and move all patients to CLIAs.
(3) the advocacy groups such as Equip for Equality and the ARC of Illinois were promoting CLIAs as wonderful places (Equip for Equality investigated some and found nothing wrong although abuse was obvious).

True believers can do very bad things when they have only one goal for all people.

Comment by hide the facts Wednesday, Dec 14, 16 @ 3:01 pm
Why isn’t IDPH inspecting and licensing these facilities like they do for Hospitals and nursing homes ??

Comment by JDuc Wednesday, Dec 14, 16 @ 3:23 pm
“Why isn’t IDPH inspecting and licensing these facilities like they do for Hospitals and nursing homes ??”

Because per statute [210 ILCS 135], CILAs are licensed by and overseen by DHS.

Comment by Nick Name Wednesday, Dec 14, 16 @ 3:50 pm
==That won’t work on a coffee mug or t-shirt… maybe not even on a trucker-style hat.==

OK. He Got “Biss-Slapped”.

Comment by A guy Wednesday, Dec 14, 16 @ 4:00 pm
“As our friend OW likes to say, Governor’s Own, and guess what Meier and Bryant, your guy owns this.”

Come on guys, my Rep was just making the points he was told to make to deflect from the real issue. At least someone is willing to call out the Raunerites for their hypocrisy and will attempt to put and end to the games they are playing.

Comment by illini Wednesday, Dec 14, 16 @ 4:09 pm
I keep hearing that you can’t solve a problem by throwing money at it. This is a problem you can’t even begin to properly address without throwing money at it. The last time money was thrown at it was in the 1980’s. Illinois was cutting edge in terms of services, then. We had people moving out of institutions and into community programs where they could be nearer to their families and live a more normal life. They were getting jobs in the community and out of the sheltered workshops.

But, then the cuts started and agencies had to move more people into that group home in order to make it work financially. We used to be doing wonderful things with moving people into jobs in the community, until the funding was cut so much, we couldn’t afford to pay a job coach to provide the support services that those individuals needed in order to keep those jobs.

Agencies are struggling to stay afloat with just enough staff to get by. Then, you get someone trained and they leave after six months, because they can make 25 cents an hour more at McDonald’s.

You have a dual system where a huge amount of money is being spent to keep people in a state institution, as compared to the 25 to 35% of that amount to have them live in the community. With what Illinois has been willing to pay, you cannot have both operating at an optimum level.

Ask people where they want to live? In a building with fifty other people or a house with three other people? Ask yourself the same question and I daresay that you will answer it the same way that individual with a disability would answer it.

We are underfunded and have been for decades. That contributes a lot to the problems agencies have with hiring and retaining good staff.

Comment by Aldyth Wednesday, Dec 14, 16 @ 4:17 pm
- A Guy -

That isn’t what’s called… “Family Friendly”…

You’d need ID to purchase.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Dec 14, 16 @ 4:19 pm
OIG did not seal the records. State confidentiality laws passed by the legislature and HIPPA dictate what OIG can and cannot release.

Comment by ... Wednesday, Dec 14, 16 @ 5:26 pm
As someone that works in a professional capacity in this particular field, I can tell you…there is plenty of blame to go around. Both parties have done quite a bit of shoving people with these disabilities out the door to save money. Pat Quinn was awful about it. George Ryan used them as political tools. Rauner isn’t any better so far, although he’s been better than Quinn by a long shot.

Comment by The Equalizer Wednesday, Dec 14, 16 @ 6:39 pm
===Rauner isn’t any better so far, although he’s been better than Quinn by a long shot.===

Quinn didn’t pay social services?

Rauner refuses to pay them.

You sure Rauner is better than Quinn?

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Dec 14, 16 @ 6:46 pm
In this particular field: Yes. Quinn’s people put people with intellectual disabilities in danger and ran roughshod over the parents and families of these people. Rauner is a cold-hearted oligarch; however, in this particular field, in my personal experience, yes, he’s better than Quinn.

Thus far. Rauner has two years to wreck this too.

Comment by The Equalizer Wednesday, Dec 14, 16 @ 8:32 pm
The issue at hand here is the protection and well-being of 12,000 citizens with intellectual and developmental disabilities who are in the state’s care.

The Tribune did an outstanding job of revealing a cover-up on serious threats to their well-being in group homes funded by taxpayers.

And some of you just want to gossip about Biss? Is “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” off the air or something?

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Dec 15, 16 @ 9:05 am