Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Pna Investigation Complaint topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Rolla parent alleges delay, limited transparency by Protection & Advocacy after day-program abuse; committee declines to adjudicate
Summary
A Rolla man testified the state'funded Protection and Advocacy Project delayed or limited its response after his daughter'an adult with moderate autism'was allegedly abused at a day program on Nov. 27; he asked that P&A funding be suspended pending review; the committee did not adjudicate and offered to help facilitate follow-up.
A Rolla father told the Senate Appropriations Committee's Human Resources Division he believes the North Dakota Protection and Advocacy Project (P&A) did not adequately protect his adult daughter after an alleged abuse at a day habilitation program.
Scott (identified in testimony as a Rolla resident) said the incident occurred on Nov. 27 at a Calix day program and that his wife's report and a caregiver's witness statement were submitted to P&A and Calix on Dec. 2. He told the committee he received little contact from P&A for weeks and that the agency did not interview the Easterseals caregiver who reported the incident.
"When 3 weeks had passed, my wife was finally able to reach our PNA representative and ask how things were proceeding. Unfortunately, this person had not had the time with all the other cases she was handling to even open our daughter's file," Scott said during his testimony.
Scott said P&A's written conclusion on Jan. 14 found video evidence showed two employees committed an act of abuse and that Calix subsequently let one employee go and reprimanded the other. Scott said Calix's CEO refused to release the video to the family and cited Calix policy; Scott said P&A's executive director told him Calix "could be forced to hand over the video, but the issue has been dealt with," and wrote that seeing the footage would only be relevant if the parents intended a civil suit. The witness called that response insufficient.
"I recommend that at very least, PNA funding be suspended, pending an investigation," Scott told the committee.
Committee response and next steps Chairman Deaver told Scott the hearing would not adjudicate the family's complaint, and offered to help arrange follow-up. "We are not going to adjudicate your situation... I'd be happy to serve as an intercessory between you and PNA to address your concerns," Deaver said. The committee's chair and staff also suggested Scott could submit a confidentiality waiver to permit additional information-sharing and encouraged use of local prosecutorial or protective-services channels where appropriate.
What the transcript shows and what it does not - Timeline in testimony: alleged incident Nov. 27; family and caregiver reported to P&A and Calix Dec. 2; P&A concluded Jan. 14 that the two employees had committed an act of abuse; Calix took personnel action after the agency's finding. - Scott said P&A did not interview the caregiver who filed the initial report; P&A did not present a direct, on-record response in the hearing transcript about that specific claim beyond the agency's earlier overview testimony on investigative processes.
The committee did not act on Scott's request during the hearing. Members said they would take Scott's testimony under advisement and offered procedural options for follow-up but did not direct an investigation or suspension during the session.
