Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Illinois Group Home Provider for Disabled Residents License Pulled For 'Imminent Risk' To Residents

Thee Illinois Department of Human Services has revoked the license of a group home provider that was spotlighted in a Chicago Tribune "Suffering in Secret" investigation series earlier month, citing the state-funded business for safety problems and "willfully violating the rights of individuals" with developmental and intellectual disabilities.

Illinois Dept. of Human Services is revoking the license for eight group homes and daytime training program, all of which have operated under the name Disability Services of Illinois since earlier this year. The 45 adults with disabilities are being located to other community-living options, including group homes operated by different providers,

Equip for Equality, Illinois' federally empowered disability-rights watchdog, excoriated Goodwin's businesses in the early 2000s for hazardous conditions and financial mismanagement. The group, which advocates for the type of community living that group homes offer, titled its scathing report, "Why Does an Agency that Profited from Exploiting Persons with Disabilities Remain Taxpayer Funded?"

Please take some time and read the Chicago Tribune "Suffering in Secret" investigation series, it's a honest and tough look into the State of Illinois system that is suppose to serve and protect those with disabilities that rely on such programs.
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Associated Press article Nov. 30, 2016


Illinois agency revokes group home provider's license


CHICAGO (AP) — The Illinois Department of Human Services has revoked a group home provider's license and cited the state-funded business for safety issues and rights violations of individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities.

On Monday, the department's chief licensing official, Felicia Stanton Gray, told Reuben Goodwin Sr. she was revoking the license for his eight group homes and daytime training program, all under the name Disability Services of Illinois, the Chicago Tribune (http://trib.in/2fLA7zI ) reported.

"I think we do a good job to make sure people are safe and that the staff is trained," said Goodwin in an interview last month.

Goodwin can appeal the decision by requesting a hearing before Dec. 23, but the department will still move 45 adults to other community-living options in the next two weeks.

Human Services spokeswoman Meredith Krantz said the state agency will work toward changing the way group homes "are held accountable in order to ensure individuals with disabilities receive high levels of care."

The move comes after Disability Services was spotlighted in an investigation by the newspaper this month that revealed the inspector general's office mishandled a 2012 investigation into neglect allegations at Goodwin's business.

The investigation found at least 42 deaths linked to abuse and neglect in group homes or their day programs over the last seven years. Residents have been humiliated and lost freedom, state records show.

The probe also identified 1,311 cases of documented harm since July 2011 — hundreds more cases of documented harm than publicly reported by Illinois' Department of Human Services.

Results from Chicago Tribune's investigation have prompted Human Services Secretary James Dimas to order widespread reforms to improve public accountability and streamline investigations.

"My concern is that too often agencies hide behind their confidentiality statutes, which makes it harder for the public to know what is going on," Dimas said previously.

The newspaper's attempts to reach Goodwin for comment were unsuccessful.

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