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Amanda Casanova casanovaa@reporternews.com / 325-676-6730Tuesday, July 21, 2009
A new fence now stretches along Maple Street in front of Abilene’s state-supported living center for people who have mental retardation or developmental disabilities.
The state-funded, $140,000 fence was completed last month, closing in the grounds of a 176-acree facility formerly known as a state school.
“We are making improvements specifically for the safety of our residents on an ongoing basis,” said Cecilia Fedorov, press officer for The Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services.
While the improvements weren’t related to newly passed legislation that calls for upgrading security at the facilities, the Abilene living center will soon be equipped with the increased security measures.
In June, Gov. Rick Perry approved $112 million in legislation to boost security at the facilities with required video surveillance cameras, improved staff training and background checks. Other protective efforts include establishing the Office of Independent Ombudsman, who will oversee all operations; enhancing abuse and neglect investigations; and random drug testing on employees.
The cameras, which will be placed in all common areas, haven’t been installed at the Abilene facility. Also, staff will be required to wear vests of various colors to identify themselves as employees. These vests have not yet been purchased, Fedorov said.
Almost 1,300 people work at the facility in Abilene, which houses roughly 520 people.
“The legislation just passed,” Fedorov said. “We’re still in a preparation phase.”
However, some security measures are already being practiced, such as a nighttime check, where management perform random inspections in the middle of the night “to make sure things are running as they should be.”
“This all means that these agencies are going to continue making these improvements and continuing to focus on the safety and quality of life for our residents,” Fedorov said.
The law also increases penalties for abusive or neglectful employees, or failure to report abuse or neglect. Additionally, the Department of Aging and Disability Services will contract with an independent patient safety organization to conduct mortality assessments to determine if deaths could have been prevented.
Fifty-three residents at the facilities statewide died from preventable conditions stemming from neglect, a state report said.
According to state records, last year nearly 270 employees at Texas’ 13 institutions were suspended or fired for mistreating or abusing residents.
Nearly 5,000 people live in the Texas residential facilities for the mentally and developmentally disabled.
The state-funded, $140,000 fence was completed last month, closing in the grounds of a 176-acree facility formerly known as a state school.
“We are making improvements specifically for the safety of our residents on an ongoing basis,” said Cecilia Fedorov, press officer for The Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services.
While the improvements weren’t related to newly passed legislation that calls for upgrading security at the facilities, the Abilene living center will soon be equipped with the increased security measures.
In June, Gov. Rick Perry approved $112 million in legislation to boost security at the facilities with required video surveillance cameras, improved staff training and background checks. Other protective efforts include establishing the Office of Independent Ombudsman, who will oversee all operations; enhancing abuse and neglect investigations; and random drug testing on employees.
The cameras, which will be placed in all common areas, haven’t been installed at the Abilene facility. Also, staff will be required to wear vests of various colors to identify themselves as employees. These vests have not yet been purchased, Fedorov said.
Almost 1,300 people work at the facility in Abilene, which houses roughly 520 people.
“The legislation just passed,” Fedorov said. “We’re still in a preparation phase.”
However, some security measures are already being practiced, such as a nighttime check, where management perform random inspections in the middle of the night “to make sure things are running as they should be.”
“This all means that these agencies are going to continue making these improvements and continuing to focus on the safety and quality of life for our residents,” Fedorov said.
The law also increases penalties for abusive or neglectful employees, or failure to report abuse or neglect. Additionally, the Department of Aging and Disability Services will contract with an independent patient safety organization to conduct mortality assessments to determine if deaths could have been prevented.
Fifty-three residents at the facilities statewide died from preventable conditions stemming from neglect, a state report said.
According to state records, last year nearly 270 employees at Texas’ 13 institutions were suspended or fired for mistreating or abusing residents.
Nearly 5,000 people live in the Texas residential facilities for the mentally and developmentally disabled.
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