State authorities have ordered a troubled mental health treatment center to stop admitting new teenagers to the facility until its problems are fixed.
The 57-page state report cited 47 violations, including 16 issues with juvenile restrictions. For example, one employee pushed a child during a “power struggle” and another child was held in restraints for an hour and 25 minutes.
In a two-day inspection, the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services found the Youngstown Intensive Youth Services center in disrepair — broken tiles, missing furniture, empty hand sanitizer — and failed to conduct required training. of staff and background checks.
Youth Intensive Services said in a written statement that it is making the required changes and is confident that admissions will be restored.
“Our license continues to be in good standing and children are well cared for within our facility,” the statement said.
The state’s action comes after a scathing report by Disability Rights Ohio, a nonprofit advocacy organization. In May, Disability Rights Ohio said children sent to Intensive Youth Services are being choked and slapped, pinned to the ground and verbally abused and are regularly being removed from campus.
The Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services ordered the center to close new admissions and submit a corrections plan. Failure to do so could result in more sanctions, state officials said in a statement. State law allows license revocation.
“Obviously, we’re glad they’re finally taking action, but we’re concerned that it took 16 months,” said Kerstin Sjoberg, director of Disability Rights Ohio. Disability Rights Ohio is a statewide nonprofit organization with the authority to protect and advocate for people with disabilities in prisons, jails and other institutional settings.
Sjoberg said her team contacted state authorities to raise the alarm bells at least a dozen times. The Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services did not tell Disability Rights Ohio that the state had conducted a review in June or decided to suspend new admissions, she said.
“We’re hopeful — usually, that’s a great first step — but we’re not going to stop advocating because we’re still not sure if it’s really going to be fixed,” she said.
Child protective services agencies in many counties, including Franklin, Summit, Stark, Carroll and Tuscarawas, refer children to Intensive Youth Services.
In the first five months of 2024, there were 31 police reports of children being removed from the facility. One child made it to the bus stop nearly 3.5 miles away before police found them. Two other children trying to leave the grounds were left outside in the winter for 20 minutes while staff periodically checked the door. Off the field, they are subjected to dangerous conditions, sexual assaults and injuries, the DRO said in its report.
Youth Intensive Services is licensed for 33 children, ages 12 to 18, according to Disability Rights Ohio. The state licenses about 60 such residential facilities for at-risk children.
Laura Bischoff is a reporter for the USA TODAY Network’s Ohio Bureau, which serves the Columbus Dispatch, Cincinnati Enquirer, Akron Beacon Journal and 18 other affiliated news organizations throughout Ohio.
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