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State provides update on in-person wellness checks for disabled clients
SANTA FE – The New Mexico Department of Health (DOH) reports progress in completing unannounced health and safety wellness checks for clients receiving services from the states’ Developmental Disabilities (DD) Waiver programs.
As of the end of day, Thursday, March 30, 2,558 in-person unannounced wellness visits have been completed statewide for the 6,815 individuals receiving services from DD Waiver programs. These visits identified 45 incidents of alleged abuse and neglect that can range from an environmental hazard in the home, missing staff, or other issues discovered by state agencies during the wellness checks. Every one of these incidents is being fully investigated.
“The number of incidents requiring investigation speaks volumes about the absolute necessity and importance of these unannounced visits,” said Department of Health Secretary Patrick M. Allen. “We launched these mass visits with an all-hands-on deck mentality, and these numbers demonstrate a need for a comprehensive re-evaluation of the Developmental Disabilities Supports Division and the Division of Health Improvement oversight. We must take every single step to assure New Mexicans living with developmental disabilities are receiving the proper care they deserve.”
Among the people conducting unannounced visits to homes and providers performing services to disabled individuals include Secretary Allen and Aging and Long-Term Services Secretary Katrina Hotrum-Lopez who is serving as acting Developmental Disabilities Supports Division (DDSD) director.
In addition, both the Aging and Health Departments have employees from their agencies outside of DDSD staff also in the field to complete the unannounced home visits, including DOH’s Office of General Counsel and Division of Health Improvement. Representatives from the state Children, Youth and Families Department and Human Services Department as well as the Office of Peer Recovery and Engagement are also completing field visits.
“One of the challenges with making unannounced visits to see clients is that they are not always home at the time of our first visit,’ said acting DDSD director Katrina Hotrum-Lopez. “However, we will be back, and we will keep coming back until we are certain each client is safe and well cared for. We will not stop until we have thoroughly investigated and uncovered the systemic flaws that have failed our clients.”
The current round of wellness checks is underway after the discovery earlier this month of an alleged case of extreme abuse and neglect of a client. Both federal and state investigations are ongoing.
In addition, a comprehensive internal review of state systems and processes is underway to improve quality management of provider agencies, oversight, and monitoring of services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities supported by our programs. The state of New Mexico has also contracted with German Burnette & Associates in partnership with Accenture, a company that specializes in Medicaid issues, to conduct a thorough third-party external investigation.
Anyone found to be in an abusive situation will be removed and individuals associated with cases where abuse and neglect is substantiated will be referred to the Employee Abuse Registry. Licensed professionals will be referred to their respective boards, and referrals to law enforcement will also be made as appropriate.
Anyone suspecting abuse, neglect, or exploitation of any person who is on one of the state’s Developmental Disabilities Waiver Programs, or anyone else, please call the Adult Protective Services Central Intake Unit toll-free at: 1-866-654-3219.
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