The Patriot Ledger has run a powerful three-part investigative report detailing the often deplorable care, abuse, neglect and even deaths of disabled and mentally retarded residents under the care of the Department of Mental Retardation and Department of Public Health. The series exposes the dangers of turning the care of these vulnerable people over to privatized, vendor-operated group homes, where there is a total lack of oversight and accountability and a lack of commitment to quality care. The series also exposes the dangers of the state’s use of a Medication Administration Program, which has replaced registered nurses with low-paid direct care workers with a high school education and a 16-hour course, who are responsible for administering potentially dangerous medications to clients with complex medical problems, with the added responsibility of monitoring their symptoms and responses to those medications. This series shows the policies of the DMR, DPH and Romney Administration are “dead” wrong!
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