(Cross-posted from the COFAR blog)
We’ve received a report of a second intellectually disabled man who died in the past two months after being transferred to a community-based group home from a state developmental center.
In this second case, the 50-year-old man died suddenly of aspiration pneumonia and a bowel obstruction on July 6, according to the City of Lowell Clerk’s Office, where the death certificate is on file.
According to sources, the man, who had a history of ingesting foreign objects, died after swallowing a plastic shopping bag in the state-run group home. He had reportedly lived in the group home for about a year after having lived for most of his life at the Fernald Developmental Center.
We are withholding his name until we can obtain permission to use it from his guardian.
A staff person with the Disabled Persons Protection Commission said the man’s death is under investigation, but would not comment on the cause of death.
Sources said the staff at the Fernald Center had been aware of the man’s tendency to ingest foreign objects, a condition known as pica, and had watched him closely to prevent him from doing so. We have received reports that the level of supervision in the group home regarding the man’s pica condition was not as high as it had been at Fernald.
We reported earlier this week about another man who died suddenly of a blood clot in his lung in a group home on July 24, four days after having been transferred there from the Templeton Developmental Center. Both Fernald and Templeton are among four developmental centers that have been targeted by the Patrick administration for closure.
In both cases, the men had been transferred to state-operated group homes operated by Northeast Residential Services, a division of the Department of Developmental Services. DDS has refused to discuss or provide any information about these deaths, citing confidentiality and privacy regulations.
We have raised concerns about at least one other incident involving potential lack of supervision in a Northeast Residential Services group home. In that case, a resident of a Norteast Regional Services home in Chelmsford left the residence unsupervised in May and attempted to rape a pregnant woman who lived next door.
State Senator Stephen Brewer of Barre, whose district includes the Templeton Developmental Center, said in an email to COFAR that he had been made aware of the death of the former Templeton resident and has asked DDS Commissioner Elin Howe to investigate it. Brewer said he has also asked Howe to halt further transfers to the group home until the investigation is complete.
We think DDS needs to come out from behind its confidentiality veil and take a fresh look at the level of oversight and supervision in its community-based system of care.
I believe that we, as a society, are accountable for how the vulnerable are cared for, and that caring for the sick, the weak, the parentless, the damaged are taken care of – and that we in Massachusetts and in the USA are doing a far worse job than in many other countries and states. Our child welfare system is destroying children and families, ergo Connor B. vs. Deval Patrick, see: http://www.childrensrights.org/reform-campaigns/legal-cases/massachusetts-connor-b-v-patrick/ While the current Commissioner, Angelo McLain has decreased the rates of removal for kids who were NOT at serious risk in their families, in part to reduce costs, placement in therapeutic programs is down 30% and some of the decisions as to not using residential therapeutic care have not been clinically appropriate, and have done harm, at least in my opinion.
I believe dismantling the community mental health system killed people, albeit not directly, based on my data set.
To my eyes, the top 1% are battening, like blood sucking parasites, on the rest of society. That is why the share of wealth of the top 1% could go from 8% to over 28% in one year. For the top five executives of Verizon to have paid themselves 258 MILLION IN FIVE YEARS and seek to reduce health care and eliminate and/or cap pensions for ordinary works is so wrong as to qualify as “battening” on their workers, and as evil.
The percentage change from 1% to 28% took more than one year, my read is it took less than five years, thank you George W. & his cronies.
how many more of these terrible stories I can read.
THE MORE I HEAR OF THIS KIND OF SITUATION THE ANGRIER I GET. NONE OF THE FACILITIES SHOULD BE CLOSING! I AM NOW BELIEVING THAT THE ONLY SAFE PLACE FOR DDS RESIDENTS IS A FACILITY! STATE OPS AND VENDORS ALL NEED MAJOR OVERSIGHT!
I believe dave from hvad reported on the van accident that resulted in 12 disabled individuals being injured because the driver was operating under the influence of drugs and had a long record.
How many deaths and injuries does it take before the department will be held accountable?
in addition to the department, should be held accountable for allowing these facility closures to continue and putting these individuals at risk and in harms way.
“Never ask for whom the bell tolls – it tolls for thee”… Thank you COFAR for having a strong, true voice and not letting these very vulnerable people just fade away without anyone drawing attention to their plight.
Dave from hvad has posted on numerous incidents of abuse, neglect, death. These are just the ones we know of, there are unquestionably more. I don’t want to knock the entire community system–there are undoubtedly good group homes out there but there are obviously major problems with the “community first or community expansion” plan or whatever they are calling it these days.
What I really want to know is what exactly does it take to get a commissioner fired?
We’re re-learning why things were set up the way they were. (We seem to be re-learning a lot of things these days, and it inevitably involves awful outcomes).
My heart goes out to all affected. So sad, so avoidable.
It is not only the level of care available in community group homes, or the training, oversight or supervision of employees that these deaths bring into question. It is also the issue of disclosure by the Department of Developmental Disabilities. Confidentiality policies are necessary, yes, but when questionable circumstances are involved, families, guardians and advocates deserve answers. Even under ordinary circumstances, Advocacy Network, Inc., a COFAR affiliate, has for years been seeking — unsuccessfully — simple notification of deaths from DDS so that we may pay proper respect and convey condolences to our members. That information is not forthcoming.
to see that these two deaths of disabled persons are not being treated in the usual way. Where is the news media? Why aren’t the police investigating these two deaths? Why aren’t they looking to hold the players accountable?
I saw this on Fox 25 on Friday. At least they took the trouble to cover the story:
http://www.myfoxboston.com/dpp/news/local/2-deaths-at-group-homes-raise-care-questions-25-apx-20110812