THREE COOK COUNTY FACILITIES DISCIPLINED

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – The Illinois Department of Public Health has taken disciplinary action against three Cook County facilities:

Clearbrook Center, a 92-bed intermediate care facility for the developmentally disabled located at 3201 W. Campbell St. in Rolling Meadows;
Rest Haven Central, a 193-bed skilled and intermediate care facility located at 13259 S. Central Ave. in Palos Heights; and
Torrence Place, a 16-bed intermediate care facility for the developmentally disabled located at 2601 223 rd St. in Sauk Village.

Clearbrook Center was fined $10,000 (Statement of Violation) for failing to adequately supervise two sexually aggressive residents who abused four other residents.

In one case, a female resident received undesired and unsolicited sexual advances from her roommate three times in less than two weeks. These two women became roommates after the aggressor was moved because she sexually abused her former roommate. The aggressive resident did not have a plan in place to address the behavior.

A male resident with a history of physical and sexual aggression was observed sexually abusing another resident and staff intervened. The administrator told surveyors the resident had a plan to address his sexual aggression, but it had not been effective. The resident was involved in six other incidents of inappropriate sexual behavior with residents during a six-month period.

Rest Haven Central was fined $10,000 (Statement of Violation) for failing to provide the necessary supervision to a resident who had swallowing difficulties and needed assistance while eating. The resident was left unsupervised while eating in his room and was found slumped over and unresponsive. Staff did not promptly perform the Heimlich maneuver and the resident died.

Torrence Place was fined $10,000 (Statement of Violation) as a result of sexual abuse by a resident of two other residents. After finding evidence a resident had sexually abused another resident, an employee left both residents unsupervised while she assisted other staff. When an aide later went to find the resident for a lab test, he was found in another room with the door closed and engaged in inappropriate sexual behavior with a resident.

Facility staff did not immediately notify the administrator of sexual abuse, preserve evidence or ensure that those sexually abused were transferred to the hospital for an examination.

All three facilities have requested hearings on the Department’s actions. A final hearing for Clearbrook Center is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. June 2, 2005. No hearing dates have been scheduled for Rest Haven Central or Torrence Place.