Disability Rights Arkansas

United Methodist Children's Home Dacus / United Methodist Children's Home (Bono)

*Photos taken by DRA staff during onsite monitoring visits. Photos reflect the most recent conditions observed by DRA staff but may not reflect the current conditions at the facility. If you are associated with a facility and have updated information or photos you would like to share, please contact DRA at [email protected]

Location: Bono, Arkansas

Population Served: Children and adolescents in need of out of home psychiatric care in a residential setting

# of residents per unit: 25 Residents per room: 3-4 Capacity: 25

Contact with family (Calls and visit schedule): Clients have regularly scheduled phone call opportunities. The number of actual calls depends on the clients wish to utilize these opportunities. In person visitation (assuming no quarantine precautions) is available every weekend and can be scheduled at other times as needed by the family or guardian.

Restraint utilized? Yes Chemical Restraint utilized? Yes Seclusion utilized? Yes

Treatment Components:

Clinical Director - In process of hiring.

Therapists: 2 full-time therapists (1 LCSW, 1 LPC)

Treatment modalities offered: Facility declined to identify any specific modalities available

# of individual therapy sessions/week: Minimum 1 per week scheduled. May vary upon the treatment plan of the client.

# of group therapy sessions led by a licensed mental health professional/week: minimum of 1 with 2 preferred.

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PRLU or OLTC

Notice of Incident

  • Suicide Attempt
    • Staff was notified that client was no longer in bed; Staff located client on the floor with a pillowcase tied around client’s neck. Staff attempted to take the case off and received assistance from another staff member to remove it.
    • The pillowcases were removed from client’s room for a time, he was assessed by a nurse and the physician ordered suicide precautions which remained in place from 8/3 – 8/13. This included line of sight observation and client was placed on a focus system to adjust his behavioral interventions to specifically address the issue. Client met with therapist on 8/4.

PRLU or OLTC

Notice of Incident

  • X-ray (Self-Harm)
    • Client punched a wall after becoming upset by a game of basketball. Client was sent for an X-ray.
    • Reported to specialist on 10/28/21: The previous management was not reporting the incidents to the Licensing Unit which has since changed so the facility has been going through old reports to send any missed incident reports to the Licensing Specialist. The agency has already been cited for late reporting and staff educated on what should be reported moving forward.

Police Report

Assault Third Degree

On 7/23/21, Staff stated Juvenile became verbally agressive and then made a statement that he was going to run. 2 Staff members attempted to restrain him, and resident started hitting and head butted both staff members causing their lips to bleed. Juvenile was placed in custody and transported to Craighead County Detention Center.

PRLU or OLTC

Notice of Incident

  • Arrest
    • Client became upset with staff and began to push staff, yelling and cussing. Client stated he would run away, so staff grabbed client and took him inside the building. Client headbutted staff so he was put in a restraint hold. Client broke free from hold and hit staff in the face with his head. Client was placed back into a restraint hold and a chemical restraint was given to client. Police were notified and client was arrested.
    • Child Abuse Hotline was called and accepted, unsubstantiated. Client was taken into custody and placed at the JDC for a few days, but then returned to facility. Facility will be cited for the late report to the Licensing Unit. Upon video footage review, incident showed that staff used force against child.

PRLU or OLTC

Visit Compliance Report

  • Completed walkthrough, reviewed 5 MARs reports. Licensing encourages the agency to seek guidance from the Arkansas Department of Health on how to address positive cases of Covid-19 in congregate settings; Ensure all positive cases are reported to the Licensing Specialist by the next business day of the positive result.
  • Regs out of compliance –
    • R914.6 – Ensure fire escape route diagram is placed in the cafeteria easily viewed by residents.

PRLU or OLTC

Visit Compliance Report

  • Regs not correctable –
    • R904.1.h – Legal documents or documented attempts to receive them were not noted in the cart for client within 30 days of admission.
  • Completed walkthrough and reviewed 5 children’s records.

Police Report

Assault Second Degree

Staff stated that Juveniles 1&2 had hit Juvenile 3 in the head. Juveniles 1&2 stated they got upset with Juvenile 3 for threatening to hit staff and hit him with their fist. Staff stated they would keep them separated. The next day, Grandmother of Juvenile 3 stated she wanted to make a report and that she would be removing him from the facility as she doesn’t feel it is safe.

PRLU or OLTC

Notice of Incident

  • Peer Sexual Activity
    • Resident forcefully gave hickeys to peer on her upper chest against her will.
    • ICA: Staff will do in service with all staff that when they need to leave their assigned work area that they will have someone observe their clients. No follow-up details.

PRLU or OLTC

Notice of Incident

  • Injury
    • Client was running and tripped over foot of another resident; He fell and hit his left temple on the ground. There was swelling and bruising, so he was transported to Urgent Care to rule out fracture and concussion (both ruled out by physician); There was 1 staff member with 5 residents at the time of incident. No follow-up details.

PRLU or OLTC

Personnel Record Review, Visit Compliance Report

  • Reviewed 10 personnel records & completed walkthrough, no regs noted out of compliance.
  • Regs not correctable –
    • R105.8 – Staff member only completed 20 hours of training for the 2020 year.

PRLU or OLTC

Visit Compliance Report

  • Completed walkthrough of buildings and grounds. Census = 20 boys. Gym is currently closed due to construction.
  • Specialist could not review personnel records because they are located in Little Rock. Will coordinate with human resources in LR to schedule a date to view records at Dacus next quarter.

Police Report

Assault Second Degree, Reckless Conduct Creates Risk of Physical Injury

Staff stated Juvenile was acting up and when Staff tried to get him to stop, Juvenile punched another child in the face and turned on her (Staff) when another Staff member came to help, he hit the other Staff member while the were trying to get him to stop. Staff wanted Juvenile prosecuted; Officer placed Juvenile in handcuffs and transported him to detention center.

Police Report

Runaway

Officers dispatched to facility in reference to 2 Juvenile runaways; Both Juveniles were located in a field nearby and apprehended without incident. Both were returned to facility.

PRLU or OLTC

Visit Compliance Report

  • No regulations marked out of compliance. Does not appear facility was visited.
  • Start date for the 6 employees listed ranges from 09/21 to 11/16. A message from Matt Richardson, the director of Dacus indicates some parts are still pending and states that the child maltreatment portion will be submitted for the two newest hires when they complete orientation. Staff required to complete 16-24 hours of shadowing before being assigned to a group.

PRLU or OLTC

Visit Compliance Report

  • Regs not correctable –
    • R908.8 – There was no documentation that client was administered medication on 11/12, 11/13, and 11/16. The nurse stated that one of the other nurses did not initial the log when the medication was administered. Nurse stated that they would add a nurse’s note on the days that do not have documentation.

Police Report

Runaway

Resident walked away from facility while guardian was trying to check him in; resident was located and checked into the facility.

Police Report

Battery Third Degree

Resident was assaulting peers and staff; juvenile probation officer contacted; resident taken to Craighead County Juvenile Detention Center.

PRLU or OLTC

Visit Compliance Report

  • Completed virtual monitor visit of all areas accessible to children with Matthew Richardson, Census = 22 boys, Matt emailed copies of the observation log, fire/health inspection, fire sprinkler/alarm inspection, tornado/fire drill and medication log. Discussed any Covid-19 incidents at facility.

Police Report

Criminal Mischief

Officer called to facility to asses property damage; staff found van with two broken windows, photos and report taken.

Police Report

Assault Second Degree

Resident punched staff in the eye; officer reviewed video and staff placed resident on floor after being punched; staff stated client knocked peer out and stomped his face earlier in the week (event not reported to police); resident calm when officer left facility.

PRLU or OLTC

Licensing Compliance Record

  • Viewed all areas and med log.
  • Regs out of compliance –
    • 911.6 – String located in Room 128; Corrected 2/7/20.
    • 914.5 – Fire extinguisher in cafeteria was very difficult to open with a key.

Police Report

Runaway

Resident jumped out of car and ran away from guardian on the way to facility; officers located resident and returned to facility.

PRLU or OLTC

Visit Compliance Report

  • Reviewed 11 personnel records and 6 children’s records.
  • Regs out of compliance –
    • R902.3 – Proof of immunizations needed for 1.
    • R902.2 – Proof of physical needed for 1.
    • R902.13 – Proof of legal documents needed for 1.

PRLU or OLTC

Visit Compliance Report

  • Regs out of compliance –
    • R911.6 – Chemicals should be stored in area not accessible to residents (admin area bathroom and near mini fridge in kitchen area); Bathroom and classroom should be cleaned in education area. Bathroom has odor and classroom floor has paper on it.
  • TA –
    • A/C cover missing in admin area, peeling paint in one bedroom doorway and small piece of trim missing in one bathroom.