January 19, 2000
Mayor Moves To Improve Services For Persons With Mental Retardation And Developmental Disabilities
Shake-up of MRDDA is a first step in major reform effort
(Washington) Mayor Anthony A. Williams today released a report documenting the dismal state of the District's services for persons with mental retardation and developmental disabilities, and announced the first steps of a major reform effort to overhaul the troubled system.
The report, which was commissioned by the Deputy Mayor for Children, Youth, and Families and prepared by the Office of Operational Improvements, found that "the entire mental retardation and developmental disabilities service delivery system … is incapable of providing quality service." It called the system "highly dysfunctional" and called for changes in the management and operation of the Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities Administration (MRDDA) and other agencies that serve persons with mental retardation and developmental disabilities.
"Quietly, without intending to do so, over the years we have been sending a message that we will look the other way if persons with mental retardation or developmental disabilities are abused, mistreated or neglected," said Mayor Williams. "Now, my message is clear: this is going to stop. To those who have shirked their responsibilities: you will be held accountable. This government will uphold our obligation to protect our most vulnerable citizens."
The report is preliminary and the investigation will be ongoing. The Mayor stressed that more changes in the system will be made.
The Mayor has taken the following steps:
- Yesterday, seven top managers in the service delivery system were removed. The Mayor is putting a new management team in place, starting with a new MRDDA Director and a new Chief Operating Officer at the Department of Human Services.
- Beginning today, managers from other part of the Department of Human Services and other agencies will be temporarily filling the management positions that are currently open while we make decisions on a permanent management structure.
- To bring the expertise and experience necessary to assure quality services to MRDDA customers, the Mayor established a consortium of providers to take over responsibility for case management. The consortium will help provide quality service in the short term while the long term changes are being implemented. This effort will be led by Richard Birkel of the Kennedy Institute.
- By the end of next week, the Mayor will have assembled a task force to help us restructure services for MRDDA clients. The task force is expected to draw upon the insights, experience, and recommendations of:
- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
- Local advocates
- MRDDA customers and their families
- District government representatives
- Evans Class Counsel
- The Special Master
- The Mayor has directed the Department of Health and Human Services to provide inspectors to investigate unusual incident reports. These reports should be an early warning system and a window into group homes. These experienced investigators will help identify problems ranging from criminal sexual abuse to fraud to mismanagement to inadequate health care.
- The Mayor has instructed the Inspector General to fully and completely investigate the financial records of MRDDA customers to assure that there is a complete accounting of how their money is being spent. Immediately, the Office of Procurement will be amending the procurement contracts and Medicare service agreements to require cooperation from group home providers to provide this accounting.
The Mayor was joined at the press conference by: Carolyn Graham, Deputy Mayor for Children, Youth and Families; Chere Calloway, Director of the Office of Operational Improvements; Milou Carolan, Director of Personnel; Elliot Branch, Director of Procurement; and Richard Birkel, Executive Director of the Kennedy Institute.
