Rhode Island Shuts Down Group Home
The state of Rhode Island has shut down a group home for teenage boys with behavioral or emotional problems amid allegations of inadequate facilities and improper confinement. The group home's license has been placed on probation pending further investigation and the boys have been moved to different homes.
The state began its investigation into the group home, Johnston House, after receiving a complaint. The complaint stemmed from an incident in which several boys were confined for hours in a room without air conditioning in order to get a confession about the theft of clothing. While investigating the incident, state officials also discovered several instances of inadequate facilities, including toilets that could not be flushed and malfunctioning showers. The malfunctioning showers had caused staff to take the boys to a local YMCA for showers.
Inadequate facilities is a frequent and serious problem in group homes. They can both interfere with residents' quality of life and lead to serious illness and injury. In the case of Johnston House, officials reported smelling backed up waste in the restrooms due to the malfunctioning toilets. This not only makes the group home an unpleasant place to live for the residents, but is also unsanitary and could possibly lead to illness.
The confinement of the boys is an even more serious issue. While it is important for group home staff to maintain order and investigate issues such as theft, confining the boys in a room without air conditioning in the middle of summer is not a proper way to handle the situation.
For more information on group home abuse and neglect issues, please visit Solomon & Relihan's Group Home Abuse website.
