Ed's Newsletter: 21% of CILA Residents Caught Virus - DHS Gives Indicted Choate Director a Job - $1.50 Raise OK'd
McMANUS CONSULTING
DISABILITY SERVICES
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ED’s NEWSLETTER
No. 212 – Dec. 29, 2021
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21% OF CILA RESIDENTS HAVE CAUGHT VIRUS . . .
Approximately 21% of the residents living in Illinois’ CILAs have tested positive for the Coronavirus in the past 2 years, according to DHS.
There were 1,577 cases last year, and there have been 557 more this year (as of Dec. 3), for a total of 2,134.?The total population of CILAs across the state is roughly 10,000, living in a total of 2,138 homes, operated by 228 provider agencies.
A total of 58 CILA residents have died from the virus—47 last year and another 11 this year.
The virus has been a major problem for two State-Operated Developmental Centers.?87% of the residents of Ludeman Center in Park Forest have tested positive—284 persons out of a population of 326.?And 85% of the residents of Choate Center in Anna have caught the virus—190 out of a population of 224.
15 residents of SODCs and 6 staff members have died since the pandemic began in the spring of 2020.
More information at https://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?item=123651 and https://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?item=125170
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DHS GIVES INDICTED CHOATE DIRECTOR A JOB . . .
Bryant Davis, facility director of Choate Developmental Center, was indicted in June for felony official misconduct, accused of impeding an investigation into violence against people with disabilities at the center.
At first, DHS said they were keeping him and two other indicted administrators on the job.?Then, when the Union County state’s attorney and two state senators protested loudly, they were “reassigned to central office administration duties”.?No further details until I heard this week from my friend Suzanne Light, Executive Director of ABRA, a CILA agency in Sheldon, Iroquois County.
“I am absolutely flabbergasted by your article,” she wrote.?“Bryant Davis is on the staff of BALC (the Bureau of Accreditation, Licensure & Certification)!?I have been dealing with him regarding some Fire Marshal requirements in an agency-owned home and I had no idea he was the former director of Choate.?
“How can DHS justify giving him a position with BALC??Talk about a double standard!
“Isn’t that comforting that he’s at BALC??Tomorrow we have to complete a BALC survey to renew our license from 2020.?I have no confidence whatsoever in dealing with BALC or DHS in general.”
It has been standard practice in the state institution system that employees who are accused of abusing residents are sent home (with pay) for as long as the case is pending.?But apparently if you’re the director, and you’ve been indicted, it’s different.
Suzanne Light says she’s flabbergasted.?Well, Suzanne, that makes two of us.
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UPDATE ON CHOATE COURT CASES . . .
Director Davis is scheduled for a pre-trial hearing Jan. 12.?Gary Goins, Choate’s quality assurance administrator, has also been indicted for impeding the investigation, but his attorneys have filed a motion to dismiss the charges, and there’s a hearing Jan. 6 on that.
Both men are charged with obtaining and reviewing confidential files of the Office of Inspector General “in violation of the DHS Facility Investigative Protocol.”?Union County State’s Atty. Tyler Tripp said they “started a chain of events that impeded an investigation by IL State Police, Div. of Internal Investigation, of a staff member battering an individual served at the facility”.?The staff member, Kevin Jackson, was scheduled to go on trial next month for beating a female resident with a belt, but he has asked for a postponement while he obtains new counsel.
Goins’ motion to dismiss the charges disclosed that DDD management took the unusual step of issuing an interoffice memorandum sticking up for him—claiming that the indictment was invalid because he and Davis were not restricted from reviewing the files.?The memorandum was circulated statewide within the Division, but Judge Stephen Green has ordered that it not be made available to the press and the public.
Four workers have been indicted for ganging up on a resident—striking him multiple times and choking him.?Their trials are scheduled over the next 3 months.?And another worker has a hearing set for Jan. 13 on a charge that he “physically grabbed” a resident and then failed to report it after he learned that the person’s arm was broken.
Two other workers have avoided jail as part of plea bargains.?One had been charged with lying to police about a case in which a resident was forced to drink a cup of hot sauce.?The other was accused of pushing a resident to the ground and kicking him in the head.?Both were sentenced to probation.
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FEDS OK $1.50 RAISE . . .
The federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has given approval to Illinois’ proposal to amend its Medicaid Waiver program with a Jan. 1 effective date.?The amendment will increase the wages for DSPs in residential and day program settings by $1.50/hr.
The Division confirmed that the amendment will implement several recommendations from the Guidehouse Rate Study, including updating service definitions and rate methodologies for CILA, CDS, and Supported Employment, and increasing the limit on day program hours from 1,100 hours per year to 1,200.?
“These changes represent an important and historic investment in the system at a critical time for the entire I/DD system,” Director Stark said.
The Division also announced that the temporary Covid-related residential CILA increase of 7% is being extended through June 30.?
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SECY. HOU RECEIVES AWARD . . .
DHS Secretary Grace Hou is the recipient of the Motorola Solutions Foundation’s 30th annual Excellence in Public Service Award.
The award, administered by the Civic Federation, is a recognition of “a non-elected government official who has had an extraordinary impact on the quality of state or local government services in Illinois.”
Hou has served as the Secretary of DHS since March 2019. She previously served as the Assistant Secretary at DHS from 2003 to 2012.
The Civic Federation said Hou “has dedicated her career to advancing social justice by working in the non-profit and public sectors systems for change improvement through public policy development and implementation, social services provision, community organizing and engagement, and philanthropy.”
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IN OUR INBOX . . .
All about Choate.?Responding to Nov. 30 newsletter:?DDD sticks up for indicted administrator . . .
FROM MARK FRIEDMAN, Director, Nebraska Person-Centered Planning Training Project (and former Ligas Consultant): “Bravo to you.?I admire and commend your advocacy on behalf of the people.?DDD’s defense of the Choate administrators is unconscionable.?And re your comments on closing the institutions--as you know, Illinois has the second highest number of institutions in the country.”
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FROM SHAWNA EGAN, Cary parent:?“Where is the public outrage??Actions speak louder than words and the actions of our DD system are not working right now.?I'm sick and tired of hearing about this abuse over and over and over again--with seemingly no repercussions.?Forcing a person to drink an entire cup of hot sauce??Breaking a person's arm??What the hell!?People deserve better.?This is awful.”
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FROM MARY ANN DYRDA, Glen Ellyn parent:?“I still believe in ‘innocent until proven guilty’ so DDD shouldn't be making any comments or telling law enforcement to drop charges; that's not their job or expertise.?It's for the courts to decide.?Thank you for keeping this important story in the forefront . . . before it gets buried and forgotten!”
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FROM BRUCE SEITZER, retired exec at Community Counseling Centers of Chicago:?“What is frightening in all this is the fact that this is not just a behind-the-scenes attempt to cover up atrocities, but DDD had the audacity to unapologetically adopt such a position.”
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FROM ROD PATTERSON, former CEO, Institute on Public Policy:?“Gov. Quinn was so supportive of the SODC closures.?What a shame that Rauner derailed the process.?It was a move that really went against his plans to reduce state government.?He promised the Murray parents that he would not close the center, and they endorsed him.?Guess some people will do anything to get elected.?And think of the suffering that has continued!?It is disgusting.”?
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FROM BILL DOLNICK, Chicago:?“Thanks for your dogged, persistent coverage of the Choate situation.?Such an important story--it deserves much wider coverage.”
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Responding to Dec. 15 newsletter:?Indicted Choate director fails to show up for hearing; accused worker makes plea deal, gets probation . . .
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FROM SHANNON LESLIE, on worker sentenced to probation:?“This . . . this . . . I have no words proper for this comment!”
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FROM TERA WENNER, Rockford BCBA, on worker sentenced to probation:?“Wow, stunning.”
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FROM SHAWNA EGAN:?“These abusers must be held accountable.?They committed assault and battery against people who could not protect themselves.?Why is this even a debate???And probation for destroying evidence??We have to do better than this!”
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FROM BARB JEWETT, Mahomet parent:?“It sickens me every time I read one of these updates.?I know prosecutors have to pursue the charges they believe they can win, but if the victim were anyone else would a prosecutor dismiss battery charges in exchange for probation on a destroying evidence plea??Better than nothing, I guess, but so disheartening.”
COMMENTS . . .
Send me your opinions, tips, suggestions, criticisms, or responses to articles.?I like feedback.?
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PEOPLE . . .
SISTER ROSEMARY CONNELLY has announced she is stepping down as executive director of Misericordia, and FATHER JACK CLAIR will be the new ED and president.?Father Jack is currently associate director.?Sister Rosemary, who is 90, has been the ED at Misericordia for an amazing 52 years!?Her new position is Chairman of the newly created Misericordia Foundation.?LOIS GATES, currently assistant director of the agency, will be the Executive Director of the Foundation.
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DAN DAHLKE is the new CEO of DayOne Pact, replacing long-time CEO Steve Boisse, who has retired.?Dan formerly was a vice president at Aspire and Giant Steps.?DayOne Pact, formerly an ISC, is the Child and Family Connections agency for DuPage, Kane and Kendall Counties and also provides trust and guardianship services.
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DEB FORNOFF, Illinois Life Span Director at the Arc of Illinois, is retiring after 19 years at the Arc.?She will be replaced by ROCIO PEREZ, moving up from assistant director.?Rocio joined the Arc staff in 2018 after jobs at Metropolitan Family Services, Community Support Services, and Community Alternatives Unlimited.?
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SABRINA WYMAN is the new Information and Outreach Specialist covering Central Illinois for the Arc’s Life Span Program.
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JONI KRAFT has been promoted to Vice President of Programs at Avenues to Independence.
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COMING UP . . .
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JAN. 14:?Connect to Community is holding a seminar describing how ISCs function, presented by Ruth Aguilar of the Arc.?11 a.m., virtual.?Register by Jan. 12 at https://ctcjanuary2022fridayforum.eventbrite.com.
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JAN. 25:?The Arc’s annual QIDP Leadership Conference.?Register at https://thearcofillinois.salsalabs.org/2022qidp
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FEB. 9-10:?The Arc’s annual Executive Forum Leadership Conference.?Details coming soon at https://www.thearcofil.org/
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OTHER STUFF . . .
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Melissa Wright has come back to work for the Division under contract and was part of a panel that presented a webinar on the Settings Rule this month.?Melissa, as most of you know, was the director of DDD in the 1990s, then moved to another part of DHS and then retired, but came back in 2018 and worked 7 months as interim director.
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THE CONSULTING PRACTICE . . .
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We are happy to announce that Southern IL Case Coordination Services has signed up as an affiliate of McManus Consulting.?SICCS is the third ISC to sign up with us, joining Community Alternatives Unlimited and Central IL Service Access.?And we now have 61 organizations affiliating with us.?Mary Kaye Speidel took over as executive director of SICCS in the fall after the retirement of Gary Hake.?Both Gary and Mary Kaye have been with SICCS for more than 30 years.?And Sandy Gansauer has been appointed chief financial officer.?SICCS is based in Centralia and serves individuals in a grand total of 31 counties.
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McManus Consulting was founded in 2011 by Ed McManus, who was an administrator for the IL Div. of Developmental Disabilities for 18 years, and before that was a Chicago Tribune editor/reporter and an assistant state’s attorney in Cook County.?The practice has consultation contracts with the organizations listed below and consults pro bono with families by phone.
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Ed's Newsletter is published approximately once a month, made possible by the support of the following affiliates who are on retainer: ABA of IL, A New Age Human Services, A+ Autism Solutions, Abequa Home Care, Access Living, Active Visions, Arts of Life, Aspire, At Home Mission, Autism Care Therapy, Avenues to Independence, Broadstep Behavioral Health, CCAR Industries, Center for Enriched Living, Center for Independent Futures, Champaign County DD Board, Clearbrook, Community Link, Douglas Center, Encompass/Jewish United Fund, Friendship House, Garden Center, Gateway Services, Gateway to Learning, Glenkirk, Good Shepherd Manor, Helping Hand, Individual Advocacy Group, KCCDD/Knox County, Land of Lincoln Goodwill Industries, Lambs Farm, LARC/Lansing, Leeda, Little City, McHenry County MH Board, Malcolm Eaton Enterprises, Misericordia, Mulford Homes/Diane Home Care, Oak-Leyden Developmental Services, Opportunity Knocks, Orchard Village, Pioneer Center, Progressive Careers & Housing, Rimland, Riverside, Royal Living Center, St. Coletta WI, Sheltered Village, Trinity, UCP Seguin, Warren Achievement, The Workshop/Galena.?ISCs: Central IL Service Access, Community Alternatives Unlimited, Southern IL Case Coordination Services.?Disability-related law firms: Cahill & Associates, Chamberlin Law Group, Matt Cohen & Associates, Monahan Law Group, Rubin Law, Whitted Takiff.?
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