Description

The Commission report illustrates the consequences of permitting untrained and unqualified persons to operate and staff a residential program for the developmentally disabled. Investigation findings disclosed that 9 developmentally disabled residents were left in the sole custody of an untrained 18-year-old relief staff person who was working a 16-hour shift and whose only previous work experience had been with the physically handicapped. All other staff of this residence had received little or no training after being hired. This was compounded by a lack of supervision of such staff and the lack of a formal supervisory on-call system for emergencies.