Disability Rights Arkansas

United Methodist Children's Home Little Rock

*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]

Methodist Children’s Home operates multiple programs on a single campus. Police responses to this campus often do not identify the program they are responding to. All reports plausibly related to the PRTF or Qualified Residential Treatment Program/Group Home (QRTP) have been included here. Where we can be certain the response was to the QRTP it is noted.

Location: Little Rock, AR                   Population Served: Children and adolescents in need of out of home psychiatric care in a residential setting

# of residents per unit: 20 Residents per room: 1 Capacity: 40

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: LCSW                    Therapists: 1 full-time therapist (LCSW)

Treatment modalities offered: Facility declined to identify any specific treatment 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.

UMCH LR Report (combined)

Photo Appendix to report

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Police Report

Criminal Mischief First Degree Felony

Staff stated she observed Juveniles 1 and 2 throw rocks through facility windows, damaging them beyond repair. Officers observed Juvenile 1 to be very aggressive; Juvenile 1 stated that he would become violent with other residents. Juvenile 1 was transported to Juvenile Intake without incident; Juvenile 2 was issued a criminal citation. Damage was approximately $3,000.00.

PRLU or OLTC

Notice of Incident

  • Elopement and Injury
    • 4 clients ran out of exit door when transitioning from day room to classroom. Client was given an in-house x-ray and transported to the hospital for further treatment.
    • No further info on when clients were found. Client had a broken toe and was given a cast on his foot.

Police Report

Non Police Incident

Officers helped Resident who stated he had been off his medicine for a long time and would like to go to UAMS. Resident was transported to hospital.

PRLU or OLTC

Notice of Incident

  • Injury
    • Client was in gym participating in recreational therapy when his knee gave out on him. Client was immediately assessed by nurse, then transported to hospital for further xrays.
    • Client has a brace on knee and crutches. Client had too much swelling so unable to see what type of injury he sustained. Client has follow-up appt.

PRLU or OLTC

Notice of Incident

  • Staff with Maltreatment Findings
    • 2 employees at facility had founded maltreatments from 6/2020. Staff 1 has since had 2 further allegations. From video footage, incident from 6/2020 showed staff did not react appropriately to prevent 2 clients from fighting, which resulted in an injury requiring medical care. Staff 1 was already on leave pending another investigation. Agency stated they would take Staff 2 off the schedule; however, it was discovered Staff 2 had appealed the finding and the decision was overturned.
    • Child Abuse Hotline was called and accepted as true. Re-training was provided for staff.

Police Report

Disturbance

Staff stated 4 Juveniles ran away from facility. While on scene collecting information, Staff was informed by a co-worker that the Juveniles had been located by UALR police and were in their custody. Officers transported Juveniles from UALR back to facility to staff.

PRLU or OLTC

Notice of Incident

  • Elopement
    • 4 clients ran out of exit door when transitioning from day room to classroom. Staff immediately called for assistance and all boys returned to facility and put on elopement precautions.
    • Specialist requested a safety plan.

Police Report

Non Police Incident

QRTP – Officers responded for a runaway Juvenile. Upon arrival, Staff informed Officer that Juvenile had returned prior to police arrival.

Police Report

Non Police Incident

QRTP – Officers responded for a runaway Juvenile. While on scene taking the report, the Juvenile returned to the location.

PRLU or OLTC

Notice of Incident

  • Injury during Food Fight
    • Client’s nose was hurt during a food fight; Client given x-ray, no injury found.

Police Report

Battery Third Degree

Staff stated on 4/11/21 at 1245 hours she attempted to stop Juvenile from cutting herself with a plastic eating utensil. Staff stated while disarming Juvenile, she was struck in the face and had her hair pulled. Staff stated she did not receive any injuries.

PRLU or OLTC

Notice of Incident

  • Elopement
    • Clients 1 & 2 began kicking door in and escaped the building. Client 1 threw rocks at facility van and broke windows, and threw rocks at building windows, breaking them. Client 1 was placed in restraint outside building and when released client was transported back inside. Client 2 just went outside and came back in almost immediately.  

Police Report

Criminal Mischief First Degree

Staff stated Juvenile got angry and kicked a door open to the outside of the business. Juvenile then threw several rocks at building and van. All windows that rocks were thrown at were broken.

Police Report

Non Police Incident

QRTP – Officers received call in reference to a missing person; Prior to arrival, Officer was disregarded by Staff stating that the missing Juvenile had returned and they no longer needed a report made.

Police Report

Information Report

QRTP – Upon Officers arrival, Staff advised that missing Juvenile had been found; Juvenile was gone for approximately 1 hour. Officer confirmed Juvenile was in Staff’s custody and safe.

Police Report

Battery Third Degree

QRTP – Staff stated 2 Juveniles were in a fight over a mattress. Juvenile1 sustained a bloody lip and red mark below eye; Juvenile2 had no visible injuries. Each stated the other started the fight. Both Juveniles were transferred to Childrens Hospital for treatment and further assessment.

PRLU or OLTC

Notice of Incident

  • Maltreatment – Staff Abuse, Improper Restraint with Injuries
    • Client stated he received multiple scrapes, scratches, and visible redness to skin from a restraint. Client stated 2 staff members kept forcing his head and chest down into the ground and then applied pressure to his neck with the outside of their forearms, choking him. Staff removed from schedule pending investigation.
    • Video footage will be viewed after correspondence with ASP/CACD investigator.

Police Report

Information Report

QRTP – Officers responded to facility for a runaway report; Upon arrival, Staff informed Officers the Juvenile had returned and they no longer needed a report.

PRLU or OLTC

Complaint Founded

  • Staff shall have training on behavior management including de-escalation, appropriate restraints, and proper documentation of incidents.
  • Staff shall be retrained on de-escalation and appropriate behavior management techniques including restraints.
  • Staff shall have appropriate behavior management training including restraints and de-escalation. This report prompted the complaint.  It was reported to the Child Abuse Hotline but was unfounded.  However, this is a true Licensing Complaint for inappropriate behavior management listed above.

PRLU or OLTC

Notice of Incident

  • Maltreatment – Bullying and Lack of Supervision
    • Allegations that 3 boys would come into Client’s room at night and beat on him and tear up his stuff. Client stated he told any available staff, but no one believed him. Client allegedly has injuries from his face all the way down to his legs. Client has bruising from staff grabbing him and shoving him against a doorway and a cut and bruising from staff putting him in a restraint against the wall. Client has a cut on shin that is very deep and 1.5 inches in length from being shoved into doorway by staff member. Staff members taken off schedule pending investigation.
    • Child Abuse Hotline was called and accepted, unsubstantiated. Child removed from facility and all incidents and video footage from March requested. Awaiting more information from investigator.

Police Report

Disturbance, Runaway

QRTP – Staff informed Officers that Juvenile1 was upset and left the location, and Juvenile2 was causing a disturbance and had a metal pipe. Staff stated he was not aggressive, just refusing to put the pipe down. After Officer told Juvenile2 to put the pipe down, Juvenile2 complied and went to his room. Officer circulated area to find Juvenile1 with negative results.

Police Report

Information Report

QRTP – Staff advised Juvenile was burning paper in his room; No damage to the property occurred but Staff stated they would need Juvenile transferred to another facility. Officers transported Juvenile to Methodist Behavioral Hospital without incident.

Police Report

Battery Third Degree

Parent stated she was informed by Juvenile1 (her child) of an altercation that took place between Juvenile1 and Juvenile 2 on 3/24/21. Staff provided video footage of incident, showing a verbal argument take place when Juvenile2 started punching Juvenile 1 several times and pulling her hair. Officers observed staff members trying to break up the fight; Nurse at facility said she administered aid to Juvenile1 and took pictures of injuries. Officer advised Parent to seek warrants for the charge.

Police Report

Disturbance

QRTP – Staff stated 2 Juveniles were acting abnormal and needed to be searched before returning inside the facility. Officer conducted search w/permission; No further police action needed.