Investigations Updates

Service Provider Alerts

In collaboration with the Department of Human Services (DHS), the Equip for Equality Investigation Unit has prepared for service providers two alerts related to problematic trends identified through the review of investigative reports. Following four choking incidents causing the deaths of three individuals, and four incidents of individuals being severely burned by hot water, the Investigation Unit staff prepared alerts identifying particular risk factors and information about how to prevent choking and scalding burns. DHS disseminated the alerts to all providers of services to individuals with developmental disabilities.

Public Report on These Are God's People Too

Following a series of abuse allegations, Equip for Equality's Abuse Investigation Unit issued its second report on These Are God's People Too, a state-funded residency for people with developmental disabilities. The agency failed to report further incidents of abuse and neglect and, again, the Investigation Unit called upon the state to end the agency's existence. A review of state records and a Unit investigation documented that from the fall of 2003 through the spring of 2004 a number of incidents occurred resulting in serious injuries to individuals. Besides failing to report serious incidents to the state, the agency failed, as required by state regulations, to submit corrective action plans to keep individuals safe and prevent future occurrences of abuse. Incidents included the beating of an individual by staff with a stick, an individual who sustained a broken arm, an individual found with over 200 bruises across her body, and an individual left by staff in another city following an outing. Since issuance of the second report, the Department of Human Services (DHS) terminated its contract with the agency and stopped all funding of its services. Additionally, the Office of State Guardian pulled all its wards from the agency. The Probate Court appointed guardians ad litem to independently investigate the placement of the individuals who have private guardians with the agency and to report back to the court. After DHS terminated the contract, the agency, now called Southwest Disability Supports and Services, sought to restore funding and a new contract. Another community provider, Trinity Services, which had been assisting Southwest, agreed to provide more technical support and monitoring. On Trinity's proposal, DHS reversed its decision, for a third time, and restored the contract.

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