Personal Safety, Basic Health and Fundamental Liberty
1. Case Selection Priorities (PADD, PAIMI and PAIR):
- Deaths, including deaths resulting from restraint or seclusion, in public and private institutions and facilities, hospitals, nursing homes, schools, shelters, boarding homes, community based residential (CILA) and day programs and unlicensed facilities
- Misuse of physical holds, mechanical and chemical restraints, seclusion and time-out public and private institutions and facilities, hospitals, nursing homes, schools, shelters, boarding homes, community based residential (CILA) and day programs and unlicensed facilities.
2. Special Initiatives:
a. Enhancing Safety and Rights in State Operated Mental Health Hospitals and Developmental Centers (Funding from PAIMI, PADD and the Abuse Investigation Unit)
Goal: Equip for Equality will enhance the safety and well being of individuals receiving services in state operated mental health hospitals and developmental centers by addressing violations of constitutional rights.
b. Enhancing Safety and Ensuring Compliance with Standards in Geriatric Nursing Homes (Funding from PAIMI, PADD, PAIR and the Abuse Investigation Unit)
Goal: Equip for Equality will enhance the safety of individuals receiving services in intermediate and skilled care facilities through an examination of the effectiveness of the process used to compel compliance with minimum nursing home standards and through individual representation in those claims that demonstrate non-compliance with an IDPH approved plan of correction.
c. Enhancing Safety and Ensuring Compliance with Regulations in Nursing Homes Serving People with Mental Illness - non-IMD facilities (Funding from PAIMI and the Abuse Investigation Unit)
Goal: Equip for Equality will enhance the safety and well being of people with disabilities by ensuring the provision of appropriate mental health services in intermediate care facilities in compliance with nursing home regulations.
d. Enhancing Safety and Ensuring Adherence to Adequate Medical Practices in Nursing Homes Serving People with Developmental Disabilities (Funding from PADD and the Abuse Investigation Unit)
Goal: Equip for Equality will enhance the safety and well being of people with developmental disabilities in intermediate care facilities by reviewing the adequacy of medical treatment to ensure appropriate care.
e. Monitoring the Implementation of Recommendations to Enhance Safety of Residents in Private Psychiatric Hospitals or Psychiatric Units within Private Hospitals (Funding from PAIMI and the Abuse Investigation Unit)
Goal: Equip for Equality will enhance the safety and well being of individuals served in private psychiatric hospitals or psychiatric units of medical hospitals by monitoring implementation of the recommendations issued in its report entitled Private Psychiatric Hospital Initiative: Are Illinois Hospitals Policies and Procedures in Compliance with Federal and State Laws and through advocacy assistance related to the restriction of individual rights.
f. Ensuring the Reporting and Investigation of Serious Incidents at Psychiatric Treatment Facilities for Individuals Under 21
Goal: Equip for Equality will ensure reporting and timely and thorough investigation of serious incidents at these facilities through ongoing review of incident and investigative reports, site visits and select investigations.
g. Monitoring Implementation of Recommendations to Enhance the Safety of People with Disabilities in Unlicensed/Unregulated Settings (Funding from PADD, PAIMI, PAIR and the Abuse Investigation Unit)
Goal: Equip for Equality will enhance the safety of individuals with disabilities monitoring implementation of the recommendations made in its report entitled Ensuring Safety: Filling the Gaps in Illinois' System that Investigates Abuse and Neglect of Children and Adults with Disabilities related to abuse, neglect, death or serious injury in settings that are not investigated by other state/federal investigatory agencies and will investigate such incidents occurring in these settings.
h. Monitoring of State/Federal Investigatory Systems and Implementation of Recommendations to Enhance the Safety of Children and Adults with Disabilities (Funding from PADD, PAIMI, PAIR and the Abuse Investigation Unit)
Goal: Equip for Equality will enhance the safety of children and adults with disabilities through oversight and monitoring of state/federal investigatory systems and implementation of the recommendations contained in its report on gaps in Illinois investigatory system entitled Ensuring Safety: Filling the Gaps in Illinois' System that Investigates Abuse and Neglect of Children and Adults with Disabilities.
i. Issuing Recommendations to Better Evaluate and Investigate Incidents of Sexual Abuse of People with Disabilities (Funding from PADD, PAIMI, PAIR and the Abuse Investigation Unit)
Goal: Equip for Equality will prepare a public report containing findings and recommendations to better evaluate and investigate incidents of sexual abuse, which have been identified as a type of incident presenting unique investigative challenges, by using analysis of such incidents, and best practice research.
j. Reducing and Eliminating the Use of Restraints (Funding from PADD, PAIMI and the Abuse Investigation Unit)
Goal: Equip for Equality will conclude its national review of restraint related deaths of children and adults and will convene a national, Blue Ribbon Task Force to review the findings and to develop recommendations to Congress and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for reform.
k. Amending Office of Inspector General Rule 50 to Address Jurisdictional Concerns (Funding from PAIMI, PADD, PAIR and the Abuse Investigation Unit)
Goal: EFE will seek to address jurisdictional concerns and other related issues in the state regulations that govern the investigation of abuse and neglect, by advocating that (1) the jurisdiction of OIG be expanded to include resident on resident abuse, financial exploitation, and patterns of serious injury, and (2) a mechanism be developed to ensure that investigative standards are implemented consistently.
l. Develop fact sheets for individuals with disabilities and families identifying strategies to enhance personal safety and quality care. (Funding from PAIMI and PADD)
Goal: Equip for Equality will be developing more consumer friendly versions of fact sheets related to legal rights in institutional settings and develop additional fact sheets as warranted.
