The NJ Department of Human Services was on the receiving end of a deluge of complaints. On August 9, 2018, Governor Phil Murphy halted new admissions to Bellwether Behavioral Health and "demanded 'immediate correction all concerns' involving safety and staffing shortages uncovered in 18 months of inspections." - http://connect.nj.com/staff/sklivio/posts.html
DHS had stopped referrals after WNYC aired a report about the Gordian knot at Bellwether's Branchburg group home. WNYC journalist Audrey Quinn provided a succinct update that clearly moved DHS. The four minute audio rush focused on the Saccoh family and the experiences of their loved one, Abdulaye. In 2012 Abdulaye was offered a community placement in a beautiful,clean home close to his family. Advoserv promised programming that would fits his needs - those of an adult with autism who loved gaming and Special Olympics. However, that wasn't what Abdulaye and the Saccoh family actually received. In his first year he lost 100 lbs and was anxious whenever family visited. The programming was invisible. Abdulaye presented with scratches and wounds including a broken clavicle that were blamed on other residents in the home.
But, Abdullaye's story wasn't what spurred DHS to action. Yes, the family wanted to find a new home for him. But, his abuse was unsubstantiated... Until December of 2016 when Abdullaye was allegedly beaten by a staff member and hospitalized. The home's social worker called the Branchburg police to report the abuse. Even that wasn't really news and it barely passed muster for revoking admissions.
It was this eye-catcher -
Bellwether homes in Somerset County drew 156 rescue squad called over two years, including seven involving employees accused of assaulting residents. Police are routinely called several times a day to intervene when staff is low... - Audrey Quinn
Between January of 2017 and May of 2018, NJ Advance Media combed hundreds of pages of Bellwether inspection reports. They found deficiencies such as rotting food, broken furniture, missing pillows, shower curtains and toilet paper. Perhaps more concerning were the med errors or medication mismanagement by the staff, misuse of physical restraints and failing to document injuries. -https://www.nj.com/healthfit/2018/08/group_home_operator_for_disabled_will_get_no_new_a.html
When Abdullaye left his Branchburg home, he was transferred to another Bellwether site. However, according to the family as reported by Audrey Quinn, the abuse didn't end. An attorney from Disability Rights New Jersey helped convince the state to find a new home for Abdullaye. He was moved into emergency placement and nine months later is still there...highlighting the lack of placements available to those with developmental and behavioral disabilities.
Abdullaye's story explains why Bellwether was able to get a foothold in New Jersey despite its record of abuse and neglect. The company managed to leverage itself for the title of largest group home provider in the State with 62 licensed facilities and 495 beds because of the tremendous need and lack of resources. Bellwether took advantage of another state with a fractured care system. And It took 18 months of both scheduled and surprise inspections and reports of abuse and neglect for NJ DHS to turn off the spigot of referrals and demand accountability - as much for the neglect and abuse - as it was for the fortune Bellwether was making off the citizens of the state through the Medicaid trough. To think, a hedge fund, generating value for its share holders while people were beaten, abused, neglected, and sometimes died.
It was 2018. As part of their decision to put a moratorium on admissions, New Jersey moved to insert an independent monitor and to continue with random inspections. Bellwether was getting another chance.
To NJ.com, spokesman Brian Burgess responded to the sanctions:
Our primary concern is to ensure the health and safety of all the individuals entrusted to us and to provide quality care to these individuals, which is why we are working closely with the state officials to address all of their concerns.Followers of the Bellwether saga might remember Brian Burgess, who in March 2017 emailed ProPublica reporter Heather Vogel the motivation for changing the name from Advoserv to Bellwether.
Over the past year, a completely new leadership team, with a different management philosophy, initiated a series of transformational changes designed to fundamentally alter the trajectory of the company. The new name - Bellwether Behavioral Health - is just an outward reflection of the fundamental changes designed to deliver better outcomes for the individuals in our care. https://www.propublica.org/article/bellwether-behavioral-health-is-controversial-group-home-operator-advoservAt the time Burgess declined to disclose to Vogell how the company's operations and management philosophy were changing. Vogell noted that all but one of the top six executives listed on Bellwether's website had been hired in the last year. Currently, there is only one executive listed on the company's website.
Burgess also made this statement in September 2018 after another allegation of abuse and a lawsuit surfaced in Florida:
However it is important to note that our team members at Carlton Palms are some of the most caring and compassionate professionals in the industry, all of whom work side-by-side with state officials to deliver the highest quality care possible while serving some of the most challenging individuals in the nation. -https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/orange-county/os-carlton-palms-closes-lawsuit-20180917-story.htmlEcho's question? Were the Florida executives the most caring and compassionate? Or do the six new executives in New Jersey get the honor of being the bellwether, the leader, the crusader, the change maker, the most caring and compassionate?
And where in bloody 'ell did these executives come from? It could be opined the Kizam School of Abuse and Neglect? What we have read in these news accounts is that nothing actually changed from Florida to New Jersey other than the name of the business. Bellwether even kept up with the 911 charade to handle difficult residents and keep its personnel costs down. Why train staff when the police already have the experience?
Did anyone check to see that they left the wrap mats behind in Florida?
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