State issues suspension notice
against clinic
August 5, 2006
Officials at the Northwest Guidance
and Counseling Clinic have been notified of the state’s plan to
suspend its certification to operate the Rice Lake Day Treatment
Center.
The 6-month suspension is planned to begin on Tuesday, Aug. 15.
The Department of Health and Family Services notice of suspension
follows a plan of correction recently submitted by clinic officials
deemed unacceptable by the state. The plan was to correct multiple
violations found during an investigation by the state after the
death of 7-year old Angellika Arndt on April 25 [error: actual date
May 26].
Arndt, a client of the center who was living in a foster home in
Ladysmith, lost consciousness while in a control hold at the center
April 24 [error: actual date May 25]. She died the following day.
The Hennepin County medical examiner ruled that Arndt died from
complications of chest compression asphyxiation and determined that
the restraint hold used by staff may have been a contributing factor
in her death.
The center provides intensive intervention and preventative mental
health services for youths. It is operated by the Northwest
Counseling and Guidance Clinic headquartered in Frederic.
Clinic officials have until Monday to submit an amended plan of
correction. Even if that plan is accepted, it’s not likely that
there’d be time for the state to make sure that the center was
implementing the corrections before the Aug. 15 suspension date,
said DHFS spokesperson Stephanie Marquis.
Suspension means that the facility cannot get reimbursement from the
state or county for providing services, Marquis said.
“We will still continue to move forward with our suspension,”
Marquis said. “We want to make sure the center is implementing the
changes, and we will be verifying that they are doing so.”
During the suspension, state officials make unannounced verification
visits, said Marquis. If at the end of the 6 months, the corrections
have not been implemented, the state has the authority to revoke the
center’s certificate, she said. If the requirements are met, the
center may have its certificate reinstated, she said.
Missing information
Specifically, the plan of correction did not address four areas for
each violation. The plan also didn’t address the recommendations of
a state-appointed psychiatrist, who reviewed the center’s program on
July 5.
The state added another violation to its list and withdrew two
violations but still expects to see corrections in those two areas,
Marquis said.
The state sent a letter dated July 28 to clinic board president
Denison Tucker regarding the plan of correction.
In the letter, Bureau of Quality Assurance director Otis Woods wrote
that the center’s plan dated July 20 failed to meet requirements
outlined in the DHFS statement of deficiencies.
The statement of deficiencies alleged that the center did not
provide Arndt with the proper care required for someone with her
diagnoses. Nor could the state officials find why the control hold
needed to take place.
After his review of the center’s program, psychiatrist Randall
Cullen recommended re-evaluation of limits placed on children and
much less strict and authoritarian limit setting.
An additional recommendation made by Cullen was that the center hold
all new admissions until it was certain that there was a thorough
clinical case review of all referred children before their
admission.
Clinic officials have the option of filing an appeal of the
suspension within 30 days of the notice’s July 28 date. However,
filing an appeal does not alter the time frame for the submission of
an acceptable plan of correction, wrote Woods.
The plan of correction must address four areas for each violation:
• What the agency will do to correct the violation and ensure
continued future compliance
• How the correction will be accomplished and monitored
• Who will implement the plan and monitor it for future compliance
• When the correction will be completed.
One added, two withdrawn
The bureau added an additional violation committed by the center.
According to the state, there is no documentation that the case
manager reviewed, with a multidisciplinary treatment planning team,
18 time-outs and nine control holds used on Arndt from April 24 to
May 25. Nor was their evidence of alternative strategies for
behavioral interventions.
A plan of correction for that citation is due on Monday, Aug. 28.
The state withdrew two citations for violations in its statement of
deficiencies.
The first citation withdrawn was a citation involving the center’s
failure to provide accurate information regarding the criminal
background of one of its employees.
Though the crimes were unrelated to caregiver requirements, the
reporting of the incidents was required, according to the state.
The bureau will provide clarification of responses necessary
pertaining to that matter, Woods wrote.
The second citation withdrawn by the state involved missing
documentation of basic mental health training and techniques for
nonviolent crisis management for staff.
Woods wrote that the clinic must ensure the training documents are
filed properly and timely at all of the clinic’s programs. The
clinic operates 12 other centers.
The DHFS will be issuing an amended statement of deficiencies that
incorporates those changes.
An ongoing investigation into Arndt’s death by the Rice Lake Police
Department, Barron County District Attorney’s Office and the state
Justice Department is expected to conclude this month.-08/02/06
by Eileen Nimm
Chronotype staff
|
