December 03,2020
Grassley, Wyden Issue Reports on Developmental Disability Care Facilities in Iowa and Oregon
Washington – Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and
Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) today issued two investigative reports
regarding the performance and efficacy of providers REM Iowa and MENTOR Oregon,
which receive significant federal funding through Medicaid to provide care for
individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities (I/DD). Grassley’s
report found that REM Iowa continues to suffer from recurring critical
incidents and provides recommendations to remediate these problems. Wyden’s
report found that despite increased scrutiny from its State regulator, a
consistent pattern of substandard care persists by the direct care staff
employed by MENTOR Oregon.
REM Iowa and MENTOR Oregon fall under
the umbrella of The MENTOR Network and, as a whole, are responsible for
ensuring that Iowans and Oregonians receive the highest quality care according
to their individual needs.
“Any entity that receives taxpayers
dollars, but especially those charged with caring for our fellow Americans who
may have an intellectual disability, ought to be doing everything under the sun
to ensure quality care and continually improve. I greatly respect the work of
these caregivers, but REM Iowa can be doing more to improve its operations,” Grassley
said.
“It is clear that too many vulnerable
Americans and their loved ones who count on caregivers to provide a safe and
healthy living environment are being let down by those in a position of trust,”
Wyden said. “This report shines
a light on key shortfalls by MENTOR Oregon in failing to meet standard of care
for Oregonians they were entrusted to help. Tragically, reports of neglect and
substandard care are far too common across the country – organizations that care
for these individuals must do more to protect them.”
In April 2019, Chairman Grassley and
Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) jointly began
investigations of organizations in their home states that provide services to adults
with I/DD.
Grassley’s review of REM Iowa found
that the company has had and continues to face problems, including failures to
report abuse or neglect, failures to follow an individual’s particular care
plan and failures to adhere to clients’ medication schedules. Grassley’s
report makes three specific recommendations to REM Iowa: improve training
practices for employees, improve access to data and establish a process to
track and monitor critical incidents using electronic databases. Grassley’s
report also recommends that the federal and state governments improve
oversight, outreach and support for facilities facing systemic issues.
Wyden’s review of MENTOR Oregon found
that despite increased scrutiny of the company—including a settlement agreement
with the Oregon Department of Human Services, which required MENTOR Oregon to
hire a new executive director, establish a 5-day new hire program to improve training,
conduct a statewide footprint evaluation of its operations, and standardize its
recordkeeping system—a consistent pattern of substandard care persists. The
report identifies select residential facilities as case studies to illustrate
this pattern and to shine a light on the difficult circumstances faced by this
vulnerable adult population on a daily basis, especially during a national
pandemic.
Full text of Grassley’s report can be
found HERE.
Full text of Wyden’s report can be found HERE.
Supporting documents referenced in Appendix C of Wyden’s report can be found HERE.
For additional documents provided by MENTOR Oregon, please click HERE. To view the company’s
letter following the issuance of both reports, as well as the Committee’s
official response, please click HERE.
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