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AUSTIN — Texas: Reports detail abuse at Texas facilities,Records show mentally retarded children and adults were pushed, hit, kicked by staffers...
Reports detail abuse at Texas facilities
Records show mentally retarded were pushed, hit, kicked by staffers By JANET ELLIOTT and LISA SANDBERG Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle Austin Bureau http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/4992738.html AUSTIN — Abuse, neglect and humiliation are a stark reality for hundreds of mentally retarded children and adults living in Texas' state schools, employee disciplinary records show. With disturbing regularity, employees pushed, hit, kicked, knocked down and dragged residents. One of the worst cases occurred in December 2005, when a caretaker at Brenham State School hit or kicked a resident hard enough to cause three cracked ribs and a lacerated liver. Workers also frequently neglected their frail charges, in some cases allowing them to eat cigarette butts, scald themselves or be sexually abused by other residents. The Houston Chronicle reviewed hundreds of pages of documents showing how employees were disciplined for abuse and neglect at nine different facilities. The Texas Attorney General ordered the records released under the state public information laws. The records show instances in which abusive employees were allowed to remain on the job, working with the same vulnerable population. An aide at Lufkin State School who struck a resident on the head with a plastic cup, causing a 1½-inch cut, was reassigned so he would not have contact with that resident. Employees who slapped, twisted arms and knocked residents to the floor were routinely given short suspensions. Jeff Garrison-Tate, an advocate for the disabled who regularly visits the state schools, said he is "floored" to hear that some workers who abuse residents are allowed to keep their jobs. "That person should be terminated without question," he said. "If (the Department of Aging and Disability Services) is supporting that type of decisions, that's grossly inappropriate." The records show that problems already surfaced at Lubbock State School, which is the subject of an ongoing investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice's civil rights division. A report on that facility, delivered to the governor's office in December, was sharply critical of inadequate staffing, poor sanitation and treatment practices. About 4,900 adults and children live in 13 residential facilities in Texas. All of the residents have been diagnosed with mental retardation and some also suffer from mental illness and physical disabilities. Officials with the Department of Aging and Disability Services say outside state investigators confirmed nearly 300 cases of abuse and neglect during each of the past two fiscal years. But they maintain that the majority of direct care workers do a good job. "Most of the people who work in these state schools are there because they truly enjoy serving the population that we serve, and they are dedicated to a good life for the residents who live in our state schools," said Cecilia Fedorov, a spokeswoman for the department. "In any direct care environment, whether it's a hospital, a nursing home, a state school, you're going to have people who just take advantage of more vulnerable people." 3,200 cases investigated Reports of abuse and neglect are investigated by a different state agency, the Department of Family and Protective Services. About 3,200 allegations are investigated each year, and allegations are confirmed in about 9 percent of cases. Although the names of the residents were redacted for privacy reasons, the records put human faces on the mistreatment. In 2003, an employee with a documented history of abuse at the Abilene State School who verbally abused a resident, repeatedly yelling expletives at him and calling him "lazy," was merely demoted. The verbal abuse seemed to have an impact on the resident, who was overheard saying that the employee was "mad at me and now my life is over." At the Richmond State School, an aide in January 2001 fed or allowed hot jalapeño peppers to be eaten by several female residents, and then laughed at their reactions while refusing them water. A resident at Lufkin State School ate a gauze pad and a length of tape while unattended in June 2003. Sexual activity occurred at several facilities after employees who were supposed to be keeping watch fell asleep. A spokeswoman for Gov. Rick Perry, meanwhile, decried the abuses but defended the agency's handling of them. "There's no excuse for the reports but these events have been dealt with swiftly and decisively," said spokeswoman Krista Moody. "The governor believes Commissioner (Addie) Horn has taken proactive action." Horn told lawmakers earlier this year she is boosting training for employees. The Legislature responded to problems by appropriating an additional $50 million to hire more than 1,600 employees and move some residents into community group homes. It was unclear from the records whether the abuse or neglect had caused any deaths. Records were not available from Mexia State School, where a 15-year-old boy died in January after being improperly restrained by three employees, who were fired. The Justice Department report said a number of the 17 deaths that occurred at the Lubbock State School between June 2005 and December 2006 raised concerns about quality of care. Lubbock records were not provided because of the ongoing investigation and possibility of federal litigation. Disparity found The records show a wide disparity in the treatment of employees who were found to have engaged in abuse or neglect. Employees whose abuse was found to have caused serious bodily injury were fired, as is required by law. But punishment for nonserious injuries, verbal abuse and neglect varied widely among the facilities because state law provides a range of punishment from dismissal to a written reprimand. In the summer of 2004, two employees at the San Angelo State School were fired for throwing a resident who was wearing a restraining jacket into a swimming pool. The resident sank to the bottom when the life vest, which had been placed over the restraining jacket, came undone. Two fellow residents managed to pull the victim safely to the side of the pool. Four years earlier at the same school, an employee was suspended for hitting a resident on his helmet and in the face and kicking him in the legs. The assault took place a few days before Christmas and, according to fellow staff, the resident, though he couldn't talk, had been expressing eagerness at the prospect of going home for a holiday visit. The employee told the resident he didn't deserve to go home and if he did go home, it would only be for a day. A fellow staff member reported that the resident "became very angry and started throwing punches in the air and making angry faces." That's when the employee assaulted the resident. Austin Bureau staffer Amy Raskin contributed to this article. CURRENTLY CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES VIOLATES MORE CIVIL RIGHTS ON A DAILY BASIS THEN ALL OTHER AGENCIES COMBINED INCLUDING THE NSA / CIA WIRETAPPING PROGRAM.... CPS Does not protect children... It is sickening how many children are subject to abuse, neglect and even killed at the hands of Child Protective Services. every parent should read this .pdf from connecticut dcf watch... http://www.connecticutdcfwatch.com/8x11.pdf http://www.connecticutdcfwatch.com Number of Cases per 100,000 children in the US These numbers come from The National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect in Washington. (NCCAN) Recent numbers have increased significantly for CPS *Perpetrators of Maltreatment* Physical Abuse CPS 160, Parents 59 Sexual Abuse CPS 112, Parents 13 Neglect CPS 410, Parents 241 Medical Neglect CPS 14 Parents 12 Fatalities CPS 6.4, Parents 1.5 Imagine that, 6.4 children die at the hands of the very agencies that are supposed to protect them and only 1.5 at the hands of parents per 100,000 children. CPS perpetrates more abuse, neglect, and sexual abuse and kills more children then parents in the United States. If the citizens of this country hold CPS to the same standards that they hold parents too. No judge should ever put another child in the hands of ANY government agency because CPS nationwide is guilty of more harm and death than any human being combined. CPS nationwide is guilty of more human rights violations and deaths of children then the homes from which they were removed. When are the judges going to wake up and see that they are sending children to their death and a life of abuse when children are removed from safe homes based on the mere opinion of a bunch of social workers. BE SURE TO FIND OUT WHERE YOUR CANDIDATES STANDS ON THE ISSUE OF REFORMING OR ABOLISHING CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES ("MAKE YOUR CANDIDATES TAKE A STAND ON THIS ISSUE.") THEN REMEMBER TO VOTE ACCORDINGLY IF THEY ARE "FAMILY UNFRIENDLY" IN THE NEXT ELECTION... CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES, HAPPILY DESTROYING HUNDREDS OF INNOCENT FAMILIES YEARLY NATIONWIDE AND COMING TO YOU'RE HOME SOON... |
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