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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PRLU or OLTC

Visit Compliance Report

Buildings & grounds conducted from 5-6:30Pm. Cafeteria observed staff/Client ration 3:17. Day room observed staff/Client ratio: 1:4. Foyer observed ratio 2:7. Girls halls a and b bedroom area observed to be furnished, safe, clean and in good repair. Bathroom observed to be clean and sanitary with functioning sinks, showers, and toilets. Clients rights posted at nurse’s station window. Fire extinguishers observed and emergency evacuation plans visible and posted. MAR checked for: [Redacted]. All initialed and up to date. Pm meds had just been distributed and were initialed. Licensing Specialist: Clayton DeBoer.

Police Report

Juvenile Runaway, Runaway

QRTP – Upon officers arrival, staff advised 2 juveniles walked away from the facility at approximately 1854 hours. Officers entered both juveniles in systems as missing. At approximately 2330 hours, officers responded to facility to confirm both juveniles had returned. Juveniles were removed from ACIC.

Police Report

Elopement, Runaway, Runaway Juvenile

QRTP – Upon officers arrival, staff advised 2 juveniles walked away from the facility at approximately 1851 hours. Officers circulated the area and entered both juveniles in systems as missing. On 04/27/23 at 1048 hours, J2 was cleared from systems as actively missing.

Police Report

EMS Assist, Runaway, Runaway Juvenile, Suicide Attempt

QRTP – Upon officers arrival, staff advised juvenile left the location at approximately 1745 hours. Officers circulated the area, located juvenile and returned him to facility. At approximately 1902 hours, officers responded back to the location for the same juvenile attempting to hang himself. Upon arrival, officers located juvenile with a rope wrapped around his neck, pulling on it. Juvenile was placed in handcuffs and officers removed the rope, noting redness and bruising around his neck. MEMS transported juvenile to the hospital.

Police Report

Runaway, Runaway Juvenile

QRTP – Upon officers arrival, staff reported juvenile ran away from the facility. Prior to the completion of the report, an officer located and returned juvenile.

Police Report

Injury, Runaway, Runaway Juvenile

QRTP – Caller reported her son had found juvenile walking down Fair Park Blvd with a black eye and stopped to help him. Facility had also just reported the juvenile missing. Officers responded and spoke to juvenile, who appeared not to want to return to the facility and was lying to officers. Officers transported juvenile to facility and had to assist him inside due to refusing to exit patrol vehicle. Once inside, juvenile became verbally violent and ran out of an unlocked back door. Officers were unable to locate him. Staff made a runaway report.

PRLU or OLTC

Maltreatment, Notice of Incident, Visit Compliance Report

A/V is [REDACTED], lives with mom, dad, and A/O is staff person at Methodist Children’s Home unknown last name. Client stated that today, 4/23, staff and him got into an argument and staff said “we will take this outside” and client stated that he then said “we can fight right now”. Client said staff threatened him and shoved him hard. There are no markings or bruising. Client stated that staff is always bullying him and making threats (unknown what type of threats). Program Manager [REDACTED] viewed video footage of the incident. Video footage showed clients eating breakfast. There were 2 staff present with the clients as they at breakfast. A/V can be seen in getting up in A/O’s face/personal space and evening touching the A/O. As the video goes on, the clients move across the hall to dayroom area with 2 staff. A/V and A/O have a struggle outside the view of the camera in a corner by the day room. A/V pushes A/O, A/O raises his arm to protect himself (never in a motion to hit A/V).

Licensing Specialist: Sharra Singleton-Litzsey.

Regs Needing Technical Assistance: 905.4.g – The following actions shall not be used, including as discipline: Physical injury or threat of bodily harm.

Police Report

Elopement, Juvenile Runaway, Runaway

QRTP – Upon officers arrival, staff advised 2 juveniles ran away on 04/17/23 at approximately 1840 hours. Officers made a broadcast and completed forms for the missing juveniles. On 04/27/23, officers made contact with individual who advised J1 had been staying with her for 6 days before she found out he was a runaway. Officers transported J1 to facility, where staff advised he had been gone too many days and had to be taken to DHS. DHS took custody of J1.

PRLU or OLTC

Children's Records Review, Visit Compliance Report

Children’s Records Review completed for 8 clients. One client was missing a Social Security Card. No documentation of a request for a Social Security Card could be located.

Police Report

Assault, Assault Third Degree, EMS Assist

Upon officers arrival, staff advised juvenile arrived at facility around 1630 hours and was immediately aggressive and hostile with staff. Juvenile began tearing up property in the lobby during medical assessment, and slapped a staff member after she informed another staff to call the police. Juvenile was taken to hospital via MEMS for assessment and replacement.

Police Report

Information Report

QRTP – Staff advised J1 was in a verbal disturbance with J2 and took J2s tablet. J1 also threatened to harm J2. While on scene, J1 returned the tablet.

Police Report

Criminal Mischief, Criminal Mischief First Degree, Property Damage

Staff reported that juvenile broke out 4 windows from 2 of their vans. Juvenile stated he was mad because he got beat up the other day and decided to get his anger out by breaking windows. Officer advised staff they could seek warrants for the damage.

Police Report

Missing Juvenile, Non Police Incident

Caller advised the juvenile had returned prior to officers arrival.

Police Report

Medical Emergency, Non Police Incident

Officers secured the scene for MEMS without incident.

Police Report

Missing Juvenile, Missing Person

QRTP – Staff advised juvenile did not return home after school. After officers completed missing person form, staff called back stating juvenile had returned. Officers responded to facility to confirm, and juvenile stated he missed the bus and had to walk home.

Police Report

Runaway, Runaway Juvenile

QRTP – Staff advised that juvenile left for school this morning and has not returned to the facility. Officer cleared juvenile from the last missing report and re-entered juvenile as missing in all systems.

PRLU or OLTC

Notice of Incident, Suicide Attempt, Visit Compliance Report

On 3/29/2023 placement client was in the foyer area when he palced a shirt around his neck, pulling the shirt tightly to choke himself. He continued to choke himself with the shirt until two staff members came to the foyer area and removed the shirt from his neck. Nurses were present at the time as well. Facility visited on 3/30/23. Video revied from this incident. Client is obsereved to be in the foyer area weith no staff in camera view. Approx. 3 minutes later a nurse reported by facility as not counted in staff/client ration is seen observing client with shirt around his neck. Nurse does not intervene but does stay close to client. Approx. 3 minutes after this staff are seen entering the foyer area and obtaining the shirt from client. Client was not supervised by any staff counted in the staff/client ration during a 6-minute self-harm/suicidal gesture.

Licensing Specialist: Clayton DeBoer.

Regulations out of compliance: 907.2 – Child caring staff shall be responsible for providing the level of supervision, care, and treatment necessary to ensure the safety and well-being of each child at the facility, taking into account the child’s age, individual differences and abilities, surrounding circumstances, hazards and risks. 907.3 – Staff/child ratio shall be at least 1:6 during waking hours and 1:8 during sleeping hours.

PRLU or OLTC

Maltreatment, Notice of Incident, Visit Compliance Report

On 3/29/2023, at 701 a.m., DHS placement client, walked on the hallway where (staff) were sitting on the hallway monitoring other clients. walked over to one side of chair looking for her walkie talkie, then he went to the other side of and plucked her in the head. stands up, stating to “boy leave me alone”. reaches up to pluck again and she reacted quickly by yelling stop and hitting in the face with the clipboard. then continue to walk toward she extended her arm to keep him away from her by using a little push. reported that she accidentally hit with the clipboard while trying to prevent him from plucking her. A report was completed and the report was only documented and awaiting review from a supervisor to determine if the report will be accepted or not. The referral number is [REDACTED].

Corrective action plan: was suspended immediately due to pending investigation.
Licensing Specialist: Clayton DeBoer.

Regulations out of compliance: 109.1.g – Unprofessional conduct in the practice of child welfare activities shall include, but not limited to the following: Engaging in behavior that could be viewed as sexual, dangerous, exploitative, or physically harmful to children.

Police Report

Runaway, Runaway Juvenile

QRTP – Officers responded for a runaway juvenile call. Officers located J1 and J2 and returned them to the facility while enroute to the call. J3 returned shortly before officers arrived on scene. While officers spoke with staff, J4, J5, J6, J7, and J8 ran away. The juveniles were entered into ACIC.

Police Report

Elopement, Runaway, Runaway Juvenile

QRTP – Staff advised 2 juveniles left the residence in an unknown direction at approximately 1000 hours. At 2128, both juveniles were cleared from all systems as missing and officers responded to verify juveniles had returned to the residence. Officers observed J1 to be incoherent and MEMS transported him to the hospital.

PRLU or OLTC

Personnel Record Review, Visit Compliance Report

  • Licensing Specialist: Clayton DeBoer.
  • Personnel records reviewed for 10 staff. Citations issued for missing records in 1 staff member’s file; Missing records due by 04/24/23.
  • Regs out of compliance –
    • 105.15.f – Documentation not in file that employee was made aware they are a mandated reporter of suspected child maltreatment and have been given information on how to make a report.
    • 105.15.g – Functional job description not in file.
    • 105.15.h – 3 positive personal references from non-relatives not in file.
    • 107.4 – Documentation not in file that employee was made aware of the need to protect the confidentiality of children in the use of social media.

PRLU or OLTC

Technical Assistance, Visit Compliance Report

  • Licensing Specialist: Clayton DeBoer.
  • Review of the agency’s current policy “Reporting Instances of Abuse or Neglect” determined it does not comply with Arkansas state law requirements on mandated reporting. Please ensure facility policy is updated to reflect the need of all staff to report directly to the child abuse hotline without delay. The new policy shall be submitted to the Licensing Unit by 04/07/23 and all applicable staff shall be retrained on the updated policy by 04/21/23.
  • TA –
    • 102.3.h -Child Maltreatment/Mandated Reporter policy; according to Arkansas law, including, procedures to ensure that alleged, suspected, or witnessed incidents of maltreatment are reported to the Child Maltreatment Hotline, and documented as required by these or other applicable rule or laws.