State revokes license for Woods Services residential facility
Thursday, August 5th, 2010
By: Maiken Scott
mscott@whyy.org
Pennsylvania's Department of Public Welfare today revoked the operating license for a Woods Services residential facility in Langhorne, following the July 24th death of a resident. This affects one home on the Woods’ campus, where several more state-licensed homes are located.
20-year-old Bryan Nevins, who had severe autism, died after being left in a hot van for hours following a day trip. Woods Services provides residential and educational services for people with intellectual disabilities.
Michael Race from the state's Department of Public Welfare says all eight residents being cared for at the Langhorne facility will be removed immediately.
Race: It's become clear that this was a fatality that was avoidable, and occurred because of a combination of incompetence, negligence , and misconduct so based on those very severe issues, we decided to immediately close this facility, and put a hold on admissions for the other Woods Services facilities
Woods Services has state licenses for thirty-six other facilities in Pennsylvania
Woods Services takes children from social services when they are young. Parents are left in the cold and never see the child again, ever because they live in another state. The names are not disclosed and are changed. One minor mistake and poof! Some of those kids used to be on milk cartons. No more pictures on milk cartons. They get paid astounding amounts of money per child. It is one of the cruelest agencies. It is all about the money and keeping up appearences. They should have a list of the real names of the children they have for the parents who might want to find them someday.
Advocate- you obviously have no idea what you are talking about, nor have you ever stepped foot on the grounds of Woods Services. Yes the death of Bryan Nevins is tragic and could have been avoided, yet you let the mistake of one characterize all the people who work for Woods. People….who come in on their days off and on holidays to spend time with clients whose families won't visit, call, or even send a present on Christmas. You state that these clients are kept out of site out of mind, yet their is a team of recreational specialists that plan and take clients out on trips, not just the well behaved clients, but those that have severe behavioral outbursts. Obviously Bryan wasn't being kept in isolation, when the tragedy that took his life was the result of a field trip to a public amusement park. Therefore, rather than running your mouth about a topic that you have not a clue on- try to get your facts straight. You are obviously someone who likes to comment on things to which you are not knowledgable about. Do us all a favor and keep your comments to yourself.
Obviously? What you are all knowing?Yes I have been at Woods Services and saw people treated in ways that the culture and environment condoned, but that were dehumanizing. Going out on group trips is not the same as having supports to live in your own home or family's home and have supports to have relationships with families, friends and neighbors and choosing who you live with and what activities you do when based on the individual and his or her interests and preferences. This reduces abuse, reduces behaviors and costs far less. Bryan was 20, he was biting because he didn't want to do what he was being forced to do. Most likely going Sesame Place which is not age appropriate, nor is going with a group of people with significant needs. That doesn't help people be part of the community, because when a group like that goes bypeople in the community try to avoid them! This isn't a technique that builds connections. I certainly do have my facts straight I've been living and studying this for years and years! Just use Google and look up best practices for disabilities or person centered planning, community based services and try educating yourself on how VERY VERY VERY outdated the medical model of service delivery at Woods Services is, large congregated segregated settings are institutional and have and will never work. There is no such thing as a good institution.
No, places like Woods that warehouse and have total control of people out of sight are certainly not necessary. Whatever magic strategies they are suppose to be using at places like Woods to "control behaviors" with their $11 per hour staff that are not always attentive (as evidence by 2 recent deaths) can certainly be provided better and more individualized in homes and community settings. At $111 million a year revenue, those dollars can be redirected to provide far better supports and outcomes instead of funding a costly 300 acre estate, $600 administrator salaries and all the other costs of the institution.
If people are taken out left to wander the streets without services, sure they would fail, that is not what is needed or suggested. Keep the supports, stop the isolation, segregation, and control behind gates and out of the view of family, friends and community who will also be the best deterrent to abuse and neglect.
No, we have not come a long way from the horrible institution of Pennhurst, Woods services is VERY similar in it's model of service delivery, right down to using prone restraints and seclusion, the biggest difference is dividing up buildings and licenses to make it appear to be smaller, but it is still warehousing people out of sight and out of mind.
Whenever you have vulnerable people warehoused and getting assembly line care and being completely controlled by paid staff out of the public view, it breeds abuse. It doesn't matter how good intentions are, or how many people are really dedicated, institutions are and will always be hell on earth for the people that are forced to live there.
If all of my clients could have funds for home and community based services then things would be fine as these services are closely monitored by people like myself. The problem is that to get these services you need to have state funding, and there is only so much of that.
Unfortunately the previous poster doesnt know what the heck he is talking about. Places like woods services will always be necessary. Many people with developmental disabilities and mental illness can be successfully be cared for in the community. Some people however cannot especially those with extreme behaviors. Look what happened when byberry was shut down paranoid schizophrenics were left to rome the streets. We have come a long way since the days of pennhurst a horrible facility. When ever you have a place where 1800 people work devoted to meeting the needs with individuals with disabilities you will have a couple bad apples. Don't let the mistakes of a few tarnish the hard work of many.
Woods Services is far to similar to the horrible institutions of the past. The time has come to rid our society of these "out of sight out of mind" highly secluded and isolated places that warehouse people out of the view and scrutiny of the general public and allow abuse and neglect to go unchecked. If anything the people in there need greater typical interactions and experiences to keep them safe, and not total control by paid staff.
Best practices today is community based services, take the multi-millions of dollars Woods institution gets and provide 24/7 care to people in their homes and community. It is ACTUALLY cheaper and provides better outcomes and quality of life!!!
Sure support people with disabilities, but don't lock them away! This institution exists for the sake of the institution. For every person they claim needs to be in there, there is a person with similar needs who is successfully supported in their community. It's a choice that funders, legislators and the public can make. We don't need to try and have success in large secluded places that have always failed, create the success in the community!