SPRINGFIELD, IL – The Illinois Department of Public Health has fined Meadow Manor $5,000 (Statement of Violation), for failure to prevent a resident from leaving the facility unsupervised. The 97-bed intermediate care facility is located at 800 McAdam Drive in Taylorville.

Department investigators learned staff were unaware a resident had left the facility until being alerted by an employee of a nearby mental health center who saw him crossing a busy roadway. The man, who had been admitted to facility the previous day, was returned unharmed.

Upon admission to the facility, the resident had been assessed as a risk for wandering and was to wear an electronic monitor, but the device was not applied until after this incident occurred. The facility speculated the resident pushed a button to shut off exit door alarms and then left the facility undetected.

A Department-ordered plan of correction required the home to provide residents with adequate supervision; to train staff on preventing resident elopements, including how to identify and monitor high-risk residents; and to ensure all resident-accessible exterior doors are equipped with functional alarms or are monitored by constant visual supervision.

Meadow Manor did not request a hearing on the Department's action, and paid the fine.