Inclusion Daily Express -- State Stubbornly Holds Onto Institution Model

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State Stubbornly Holds Onto Institution Model
By Dave Reynolds, Inclusion Daily Express
September 9, 2008

SOMERSET, KENTUCKY--Across the country, about 150 large institutions housing people with developmental and other disabilities have closed over the past 20 years.

Some of those were forced to close after federal investigators found they were not safe places to live.

In the meantime, the Commonwealth of Kentucky has stubbornly continued to support keeping its largest institution open.

This despite years of reports of abuse and neglect that have caused federal Medicaid officials to withhold $60 million to operate the Bluegrass Communities at Oakwood.

The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which had paid for nearly one-half of the operating costs at the institution, decided to cut off funding in September 2005 after the facility had received its fifth "Type A" citation, the most serious kind of citation the government can give for health and safety violations. The facility went on to receive another 21 such citations over the following year, as it appealed the federal government's decision.

On Saturday, the Associated Press ran an article about the facility, which now houses about 220 people.

It noted that investigators received about seven reports of "major incidents" at the facility in each of the last six months.

Betsy Dunnigan, deputy commissioner in the Kentucky Department for Mental Health and Mental Retardation Services, called this a big improvement over previous years.

"There is no need for people to live in institutions," explained Peter Berns, executive director of The Arc of the United States. "It's extraordinarily harmful to people."

Related:
"Kentucky works to keep embattled institution open" (Associated Press)
http://www.inclusiondaily.com/news/2008/red/0908c.htm
"Communities at Oakwood" (Inclusion Daily Express Archives)
http://www.inclusiondaily.com/news/institutions/ky/oakwood.htm

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