By John Lyon
Arkansas News Bureau
LITTLE ROCK — Gov. Mike Beebe has ordered changes at the Alexander Human Development Center in response to a report showing immediate action is necessary to address reported deficiencies at the adult male facility, Beebe’s office said today.
Beebe has directed Charlie Green, the state Development Disabilities Services commissioner, to assume supervisory duties at the center on a temporary basis. The center’s director, Traci Harris, is on paid administrative leave, said state Department of Human Services spokeswoman Julie Munsell.
The governor also has approved the hiring of a team of independent experts to determine the long-term steps needed to improve the care provided at the center, his office said.
The report by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services was completed last week and was based on an inspection conducted Jan. 25-Feb. 19. Deficiencies cited in the report included:
—Cockroaches in the kitchen and running across a client’s bed.
—Staff members’ failure to call an ambulance for a client who fell and broke a hip and another client who suffered a dangerous loss of oxygen when he choked on food.
—The altering of a chart to remove mention of the cancellation of an ambulance for the client with the broken hip.
—Inadequate supervision of a client who swallowed a battery and two rocks, which had to be removed surgically, and other clients who engaged in sex acts.
—Staff members’ failure to document the reasons for placing two clients in restraints.
—A staff member’s placement of a belt around a client’s neck to demonstrate how to keep track of a belt.
“Obviously we’re very concerned about the findings, and we really feel like there are some issues that need to be addressed immediately, and we need a little outside help to do it,” Munsell said.
So far no employees have been disciplined in response to the report, but one of the issues needing to be determined is whether disciplinary actions would be appropriate, Munsell said.
The Alexander Human Development Center has a staff of 200 and is home to 110 adult males. Many of the clients have severe physical- and mental-health issues, including self-destructive behavior, “which can present its own host of challenges,” Munsell said.
Beebe said finding the proper ways to improve their care is a complex process. Some steps have already been taken, including improving the staff-to-resident ratio and restructuring the living arrangements within the facility, the governor said.
Under Arkansas law, the Developmental Disabilities Services Board has authority over administrative changes at all Human Development Centers. The board has previously delegated that authority to Green, who will continue to work closely with the board as changes are made at the Alexander facility.
The facility will have 10 working days from receipt of the report to prepare a plan of correction. It will then submit the plan to the state Office of Long Term Care for approval.
State reviews of surveys of other human development centers are ongoing as well, Beebe and Munsell said.
Beebe’s announcement came less than a week after the U.S. Department of Justice filed a motion for an injunction against new admissions of school-age children to the Conway Human Development Center, citing improper patient care. Beebe has said the state’s investigations have found no improper care at the Conway facility.
The Justice Department has said it also is investigating five other human development centers, including Alexander.
Beebe spokesman Matt DeCample said today the governor’s action regarding the Alexander center is not related to the Justice Department’s action last week. The timing of the two events is coincidental, he said.
