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

Accidental Injury, Notice of Incident

On 3/23/23 , age DOB client, was playing basketball in the gym with peers. jammed his finger. It swelled up a little bit and an x-ray was ordered. Xray came out yesterday and there was no findings of fracture and everything was normal.

Police Report

Runaway

QRTP – Staff advised officer that juvenile ran away from the location. Peers overheard the juvenile state he was going to walk to the Methodist Day Treatment School. Officers checked the school and circulated the area with negative results. Juvenile was entered into system as runaway.

PRLU or OLTC

Monitor Visit, Visit Compliance Report

  • Licensing Specialist: Clayton DeBoer.
  • Buildings & Grounds conducted from 9am – 10am. Census: 28. Classrooms (4), foyer, hallway, Halls A & B, outside recreation area, and cafeteria observed. MARs checked for 5 residents.
  • Regs out of compliance –
    • 908.8 – According to MAR, AM meds are to be distributed at 0800. At 0922 the AM meds were not initialed. The nurse indicated that AM meds were distributed at 0800 but had not been initialed yet. The facility will retrain and reiterate the importance of logging medications at the time of administration.

Police Report

Non Police Incident

Caller advised juvenile ran from the location, but returned prior to officer’s arrival. Officer made contact with caller to confirm.

PRLU or OLTC

Notice of Incident, Peer Altercation, Visit Compliance Report

  • Peer Altercation
    • Client got into a verbal and physical altercation with peer. Staff intervened and took client off the unit to keep the residents separated. Child Abuse Hotline was called, not accepted. Clients were placed on 10-foot precautions and separate sleeping halls.
    • Licensing follow-up: Staff reported the hotline was called due to the age difference between the residents (12y/o and 17y/o). Licensing visited facility on 03/14/23 and reviewed video: Client was in the foyer area with 1 staff member and peer; Client began swinging at staff as to hit him, and staff was observed holding out his arm to block client from hitting him. Client then attacked peer, and staff member immediately intervened. Additional staff assisted and client eventually deescalated.
  • TA –
    • 907.2 – Staff member will be retrained on asking for staff assistance when needed. Staff should have called for assistance sooner as well as had a walkie talkie to immediately request assistance.

Police Report

Criminal Mischief First Degree

Staff advised juvenile was kicking the wall and causing damage to the building due to believing his property was taken. Staff stated his property was not taken, and his caseworker was contacted regarding the situation. Juvenile advised he did kick the wall and agreed to return to his room.

PRLU or OLTC

Accidental Injury, Notice of Incident

  • Accidental Injury
    • While in the gym, client got out of line and put his hand behind a door handle. The door handle and wall pinned his hand slightly. Client was assessed and an ice pack was provided. Due to client complaining of pain, an x-ray was conducted on 03/09/23 and 03/11/23, with no fractures found.
    • Licensing follow-up: Client remains at facility. Continue to monitor.

PRLU or OLTC

Notice of Incident, Sexual Contact, Visit Compliance Report

  • Peer Sexual Contact
    • While on the phone with his mother on 03/12/23, client stated a peer touched him inappropriately and showed him his private parts on 03/08/23. Consultant was notified and visited facility to speak with client and review video footage. During video review, both clients were in the hallway horseplaying, and the peer pulled his pants down and exposed himself to client at 7:04am. At 7:09am, peer was seen entering client’s room and the door shuts; A few seconds later, the door re-opens with peer’s hand leaving client’s private area (both were dressed). Child Abuse Hotline was called on 03/13/23 and documented. Both residents were placed on separate hallways, 10-foot restriction, and the peer will be on SAO precautions.
    • Licensing follow-up: Facility visited on 03/14/23 and video reviewed. Licensing made another hotline report due to staff not supervising the residents during this incident (report not accepted). Facility will conduct an in-service and retraining of staff where they will review footage and retrain on the 15-minute check policy/procedure and monitoring position while on the unit.
  • Regs out of compliance –
    • 907.2 – No staff were present on the hallway during this incident.
    • 907.3 – No staff were present on the hallway during this incident.
  • TA –
    • 110.9.a – Staff were made aware of this incident on 03/12/23 but did not report to the hotline until 03/13/23 (Child Abuse Hotline shall be notified immediately if there is reasonable cause to suspect child maltreatment). Facility response: The term “immediately” is up for interpretation; The hotline was called within 24 hrs of knowledge of the incident.

PRLU or OLTC

Maltreatment, Notice of Incident, Suicide Attempt, Visit Compliance Report

  • Suicide Attempt, Maltreatment
    • Client tied socks together and wrapped them around her neck. Staff intervened and removed the socks, and client was sent to an acute placement.
    • Licensing follow-up: Facility visited on 03/09/23 and camera footage reviewed. Client is seen stepping half-way out of her room with a sock around her neck, stating, “I’m killing myself right now.” No staff were seen in the hallway at this time. Client’s peer immediately goes to get a staff member, who within less than a minute enters the room. The staff member is then seen pulling client on the floor out of her room by her shirt, dragging her down the hallway, and placing her against the wall. Additional staff are then seen assisting, with no further incident. Licensing called the Child Abuse Hotline, and the report was screened out. Facility will review video, and the staff member involved will attend the next available CPI class and receive a written warning regarding professionalism.
  • Regs out of compliance –
    • 907.2 – No staff were observed in the hallway when client made suicidal statement.
    • 907.3 – No staff were observed in the hallway when client made suicidal statement.
    • 109.1.g – Staff used an unsafe escort to remove client from room.

Police Report

Runaway

QRTP – Staff advised juvenile ran away again (has ran away several days in a row and always returned the same day). Officers checked the location that juvenile stated he was going and did not locate him.

Police Report

Non Police Incident

Officers responded to the facility for a missing person call. While officers were at the facility, the juvenile returned.

PRLU or OLTC

Notice of Incident, Peer Altercation, Visit Compliance Report

  • Peer Altercation
    • Client became upset with a peer due to peer being off task and continuously kicking other peers’ room doors. Client exited her room and charged towards peer, throwing a punch. Both residents began to fight, and staff immediately intervened and separated them. During assessment, nurse noted swelling to client’s fingers; An x-ray was conducted, and no fractures were found.  
    • Licensing follow-up: Facility visited on 03/02/23 and camera footage reviewed. Clients were observed in an altercation, and 4 staff members intervened and separated them. No unprofessional conduct was observed by staff.

Police Report

Information Report

QRTP – Staff advised juvenile ran away again. Officers circulated the area and located the juvenile. Officer transported juvenile back to facility.

Police Report

Information Report

QRTP – Staff advised she was at “Popatop” and observed juvenile walk out of the store with a vape. Once staff confronted the juvenile, he threw the vape in a wooded area. Staff advised she believes the business sold juvenile a vape.

PRLU or OLTC

Notice of Incident, Peer Altercation, Visit Compliance Report

  • Peer Altercation
    • Client was in a physical altercation with peer and received x-rays to both hands/fingers. There were “NO” findings of anything in all x-rays.
    • Licensing follow-up: Facility visited on 03/02/23 and camera footage reviewed. Client and 2 peers were observed in a classroom with 1 staff present. Client and peer began to fight, and 1 staff immediately intervened, followed by another staff from outside the classroom. Peer was escorted to the hallway, when another peer entered from the dayroom and began to fight client. Both staff present were accompanied by 2 additional staff trying to separate the residents. Residents fell to the ground with staff, with client having ahold of peers’ hair. Staff were able to separate the residents after less than a minute. No unprofessional conduct was observed by staff.

Police Report

Runaway

QRTP – Staff advised officer that around 1930 hours, juvenile walked out of the front door and jumped the fence. Staff stated juvenile is a frequent runaway and is usually gone for a few hours. Officers searched the area with negative results. At 2117 hours, officer was informed the juvenile returned to the facility.

PRLU or OLTC

Injury Prior to Admission, Notice of Incident

  • Injury Prior to Admission
    • Client received an x-ray due to stating she hurt her ankle prior to being admitted to the facility.
    • Licensing follow-up: Client remains at facility. Continue to monitor.

PRLU or OLTC

Notice of Incident, Peer Altercation, Visit Compliance Report

  • Peer Altercation
    • Two residents were in a physical altercation. Client 1 was assessed, and an x-ray was ordered due to swelling to client’s hand; X-ray showed no acute fracture or dislocation. Client 2 received x-rays for femur, tib/fib, and knee; X-rays showed no acute fractures or dislocations.
    • Licensing follow-up: Facility visited on 03/02/23 and camera footage reviewed. Clients were seen in the cafeteria (staff/client ratio 3:9) in an altercation with each other, and at times in verbal altercations with other clients. Staff present used their bodies as barriers between the clients to separate them. At one point client is seen exiting the cafeteria towards peer, at which point an altercation is briefly heard but not seen (out of camera view). Staff were seen constantly present and attempting to deescalate and separate clients. No licensing concerns noted.

Police Report

Non Police Incident

Officers secured the scene for MEMS on a suicidal juvenile without incident. The juvenile was transported to the hospital.

Police Report

False or Unfounded Call

Officers made contact with staff who advised everything seemed okay and they do not know who called police.

Police Report

Runaway

QRTP – Officer stopped at the 12th St. station and noticed juvenile sitting on the bench outside of the building. The juvenile advised he ran away from the facility. Once officer confirmed a report had not been made, officer made a report and transported juvenile back to facility into staff’s custody.

Police Report

Possession of Drugs

QRTP – Staff advised officer that juvenile came into the facility smelling like marijuana. Staff checked one of his shoes and found a clear baggy full of a green leafy substance. Officer was provided the substance.

Police Report

Non Police Incident

Caller canceled before officers arrival due to the juvenile returning.

Police Report

Information Report

QRTP – Officers responded to a 911 hang-up. Upon arrival, staff stated juvenile and a peer were in an altercation and juvenile’s phone was taken away due to the incident. Staff stated juvenile attempted to take his phone from her and pulled the office door shut, not letting her inside. Officers calmed the situation down.

Police Report

Non Police Incident

Officers responded to a missing person call. Before officers could make contact with staff, the runaway had returned with no further incident.