SPRINGFIELD, IL – Iona Glos Specialized Living Center has been fined $5,000 (Statement of Violation) by the Illinois Department of Public Health for failing to implement safeguards to protect residents from sexual abuse by another resident. The 100-bed intermediate care facility for the developmentally disabled is located at 50 S. Fairbank St. in Addison.

As part of an annual survey, Department surveyors learned a severely mentally retarded resident had sexually abused four residents over an eight-month period, but the facility did not take steps to evaluate his treatment and supervision in order to protect the safety of other residents and staff. Eleven days after the fourth incident, a new monitoring plan was instituted that required the man to be in constant sight of staff during waking hours and to be checked every 30 minutes at night.

Besides failing to provide residents with a safe environment, the facility did not, as required by state nursing home regulations, notify the guardians of those residents who were abused or report the incidents to the Department.

A Department ordered plan of correction required the facility to immediately evaluate the care of a resident when there is credible evidence the resident has abused another resident and to conduct mandatory in-service training of staff on procedures to notify the Department and a resident's guardian in cases of abuse or neglect.