A new report is detailing problems with the Department of Human services that occurred during former Governor Pat Quinn’s administration, regarding the closure of an institution for disabled adults in Jacksonville.
The Chicago Tribune is reporting that the DHS held what amounted to an auction in April of 2012. Michael Berens, co author of the report along with Patricia Callahan, joined our own Gary Scott on AM Conversations this morning and explains how this auction was different from the normal process to place individuals in a group home.
Berens explains how the auction worked and why it was detrimental to some.
State Officials also required group home operators to sign a “loyalty pledge” or risk not getting any referral for open beds.
Berens says that the pledge was mostly normal except for a promise not to discuss the state’s process for closing the home.
The Tribune’s investigation found at least 42 deaths linked to abuse and neglect in group homes over the last seven years.