Inclusion Daily Express -- Oakwood 'Turn-around' Might Be An Illusion

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Oakwood 'Turn-around' Might Be An Illusion
By Dave Reynolds, Inclusion Daily Express
June 23, 2008

SOMERSET, KENTUCKY--State and federal officials, along with relatives of residents at Communities at Oakwood, had high hopes for Bluegrass Mental Health-Mental Retardation Board when it took over the troubled facility nearly two years ago.

And things did improve.

The facility, which in the previous two years received 24 "Type A" citations for the most serious violations of residents' rights, has only received three since Bluegrass took over operations.

But, as the Lexington Herald-Leader learned, things are not always as they appear.

In fact, the newspaper found a number of incidents in which residents were injured, but those injuries were not properly documented -- if they were documented at all.

In one case where a resident had received injuries, no less than five employees wrote identical -- word for word -- statements about the incident. And while Oakwood's director said the five were fired, the Herald-Leader learned that four were still on staff one year later.

Some inspectors told the newspaper that they had been threatened by staff and administrators of the facility, which houses more than 200 people with intellectual and other disabilities.

A number of former employees have come forward, saying the new culture at Oakwood amounted to "What happens at Oakwood, stays at Oakwood."

In the meantime, the state continues to appeal the federal government's decision to withhold millions of dollars in Medicaid support for the series of Type A citations.

And community advocates continue to predict that the abuses, injuries and deaths will go on until the residents are moved into homes in the community and Oakwood is closed.

"Are people dying there as we speak? Hopefully not, no. There have been improvements, but more improvements still need to be made," said Marsha Hockensmith, director of protection and advocacy at the state's Department of Public Advocacy.

Related:
"No happy ending yet for Oakwood" (Lexington Herald-Leader)
http://www.kentucky.com/news/state/v-print/story/440589.html
"Oakwood's citations" (Lexington Herald-Leader)
http://www.kentucky.com/601/v-print/story/440567.html
"Injury allegedly covered up" (Lexington Herald-Leader)
http://www.kentucky.com/211/v-print/story/440578.html
Five employees' accounts of Jerry Wilson's injuries
http://tinyurl.com/698fqz

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