SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- The Illinois Department of Public Health has fined The Neighbors $5,000 (Statement of Violation) for failure to provide the necessary supervision to prevent a resident from leaving the facility. The 101-bed skilled care facility is located at 811 W. Second St. in Byron.

A Department investigation determined a resident apparently left the facility unnoticed at 3 a.m. and when staff realized the resident was missing they notified local police. Police officers found the resident unharmed about two hours later four blocks from the facility at the intersection of two residential streets.

The resident was not fitted with an electronic monitoring device and the rear exterior door was not set up so an alarm would sound when someone exited. Staff also indicated that exit doors were not always monitored.

A Department-ordered plan of correction required the facility to review its policies on door alarms and elopements and to train staff on appropriate actions and interventions to prevent a resident from leaving the facility unsupervised. In addition, the facility was ordered to equip all exterior doors with a signal to alert staff if a resident leaves the facility.

The Neighbors has requested a hearing on the Department's action. No hearing date has been set.