Disability Rights Arkansas

Youth Home

*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: Little Rock, AR

Population Served: Adolescents 12-17 years of age in need of mental health services on a 24 hour a day basis.

# of residents per unit: 12 Residents per room: 1-2 Capacity: 54

Contact with family (Calls and visit schedule): Kids have daily contact with their family either via zoom, face time calls, or phone calls. In the evening they are given time to call families and their families are welcome to call anytime during the day. Outside of Covid-19 Restrictions families can visit on the weekends and once during the week.

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

Treatment Components:

Clinical Director – LPC

Therapists: 8 full-time therapists (4 LAC, 3 LCSW, 1 LPE-1); 1 part-time/contract therapists (1 LCSW)

Treatment modalities offered: EMDR, TF-CBT, ARC, Brain Spotting, Trauma-Focused Family Therapy, Reactive Attachment Multi-Family Group

# of individual therapy sessions/week: 2-3x/week

# of group therapy sessions led by a licensed mental health professional/week: 2-4x/week

# of family therapy sessions/week: 1x/week

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PRLU or OLTC

Notice of Incident, Self-Injury

  • Licensing (Self-inflicted Injury)
    • Client was angry about having to remain at school and barricaded herself in the restroom. Staff opened the door, and client began hitting her injured/casted leg against the floor and walls of the bathroom.  Client was placed in a restraint and began banging her head against the floor. The restraint ended once client calmed down. Client was transported to the hospital for possible recast/evaluation, as client’s cast was damaged.
    • Licensing follow-up: Client taken by staff to hospital for recast.

PRLU or OLTC

Notice of Incident, Suicide Attempt

  • Licensing (Suicide Attempt)
    • Client felt peer was upset with her and went to her room, then informed staff she had a bandana tied around her neck in an attempt to choke herself. Client was placed in a personal restraint to remove bandana and again for being aggressive with staff. Once calm, client was assessed, and no injury was noted. Client denied continued desire to self-harm and was placed on eyeball.
    • Licensing follow-up: Client placed on eyeball (constant supervision) and remains at facility.

PRLU or OLTC

Accidental Injury, Licensing Follow Up, Notice of Incident

  • Licensing (Accidental Injury)
    • While client was on a recreational outing, client slipped off the monkey bars and landed on her ankle. Client complained of pain and nurse noted swelling to ankle. Client was taken to ER for an x-ray. Client has a follow-up appointment with Orthopedic Clinic in 1 week for a cast.
    • Licensing follow-up: Email sent to facility for x-ray results. Facility provided x-ray results on 9/21/22.

PRLU or OLTC

Complaint, Licensing Follow Up, Notice of Incident

  • Dual (Complaint)
    • Complainant advised of issues at facility with their child: 1) Facility informed guardian that psychological assessment was not completed because insurance didn’t cover it. Guardian followed up with the insurance company, who stated they do cover it. 2) Client was switched between medications due to negative side effects and was later placed back on a medication that client had a negative experience with, without guardian’s knowledge. Due to his behaviors while restabilizing from medications, client is facing time in juvenile detention. 3) Client complained that several staff members were too rough with him during restraints. Guardian reported this to staff, and never received any follow-up regarding the concerns.
    • Licensing follow-up: Facility visited on 9/28/22 and client’s file was reviewed. All restraint documentation was reviewed, and client did not report any rough restraint holds. Client is receiving face-to-face sessions for education that began the week prior. Facility reports their plan is to discharge the client. The client has received testing while at the facility for his mental health. The facility’s policy only requires guardian approval for an “initial dose”. Licensing was made aware of a rough restraint involving client on 8/24/22; Video footage was reviewed, and it was determined that staff pushed client with unnecessary force into the seclusion room, causing client to hit the wall and fall to the ground. The facility was cited for 905.4.g and 109.1.g regarding 8/24/22 seclusion incident. Staff member was placed on administrative leave on 9/28/22.

PRLU or OLTC

Accidental Injury, Licensing, Notice of Incident

  • Licensing (Accidental Injury)
    • Client was playing “Monkey in the Middle” and collided with peer after both started chasing a ball. This caused client to twist and fall on her back. Client couldn’t move to walk and was transported to the ER.
    • Licensing follow-up: Specialist requested update on client. Facility emailed on 9/15/22, stating client returned from the hospital in a wheelchair with no complaints.

Police Report

Citizen Assist

Officers made contact with caller, who stated she brought her son to place him in the facility due to his behavior, and while she was outside of the vehicle looking for admission, he ran off. Caller then stated juvenile was yelling and cussing, resulting in facility staff stating juvenile would not be accepted to stay. Officers located juvenile and he got back into callers vehicle.

Police Report

Assault

QRTP – Staff stated before they called the Sheriff’s Dept, juvenile was unstable and had to be restrained due to damaging property, threatening staff, and attempting to leave. Juvenile stated peer tried to fight him after Juvenile touched him during basketball. Peer stated he apologized to juvenile after accidentally ripping his shirt, and juvenile later tried to fight him, hitting peer.

PRLU or OLTC

Monitor Visit, Visit Compliance Report

  • Licensing Specialist: Clayton DeBoer.
  • Buildings & Grounds conducted for Sturgis House (PRTF). Staff/client ratio 4:9. MARs checked for multiple clients. Staff were informed deficiencies noted in this report need to be repaired by 10/7/22.
  • Regs out of compliance –
    • 9.911.6 – Baseboard missing in corner of one bedroom. “F**k” written big at top of one bedroom; Client residing in bedroom reported that he had been there 4 months and reported that graffiti had been there for 2 or 3 months. Electric plate was bent in one bedroom.

Police Report

Battery

Officer was dispatched for a battery that already occurred. Staff advised he was in the process of breaking up 2 residents in an altercation when the juvenile in question grabbed him from behind, choking him, and threw him off the other residents. Juvenile was restrained and bit 2 staff, struck 1 staff, and head-butted 1 staff. Staff reporting wanted to press charges. Juvenile was charged with Battery in the second degree and issued court date. Juvenile stated he pulled staff off his friend, and while in a physical altercation with staff members, he was struck in the face.

PRLU or OLTC

Notice of Incident, Suicide Attempt

  • Licensing (Suicide Attempt)
    • Client pulled his face mask behind his neck, trying to choke himself. Staff took the face mask away from client, and client proceeded to walk out the gym door. Staff initiated a personal restraint. Client was then placed in unlocked seclusion, and then in another personal restraint after he began banging his head on the wall. Client complained of a sore wrist, but reportedly had no concerns about the incident and said he did not know if there was anything staff could have done differently. Client also stated his arms were sore where staff had him in a hold; No swelling, bruising, or injury noted.
    • Licensing follow-up: Client remains at facility.

PRLU or OLTC

Complaint, Notice of Incident, Visit Compliance Report

  • Complaint
    • Guardian stated his daughter (now a resident of Perimeter of the Ozarks) disclosed to him that she didn’t want to return home and that she wanted to go live with a Youth Home staff member and his partner. She advised that the staff member allowed her to video call or Facetime with his partner when she was a resident at Youth Home between Sept. 2021 – Sept. 2022. Guardian advised that he and his wife are the only persons allowed to have phone contact with his daughter.
    • Licensing follow-up: On 12/29/22, Licensing interviewed client and when asked if she knew something that would get them in trouble, client responded “Yes, and I don’t want to get [staff] fired so I am not saying anything.” Staff stated no complaints/concerns had been reported regarding the alleged staff member. Phone logs were reviewed and there was no evidence of a phone call between the client and staff member’s boyfriend. On 01/17/23, Licensing spoke with the alleged staff member. Licensing complaint unfounded. TA provided for 107.3 and 108.1.c. Facility was advised to address regulations in their next staff meeting.

PRLU or OLTC

Accidental Injury, Notice of Incident

  • Licensing (Accidental Injury)
    • Client injured 5th digit on right hand while playing football on 8/29/22. Nurse noted limited ROM, bruising, and swelling to client‘s finger. Client was seen at Urgent Care on 8/30/22.
    • Licensing follow-up: Client remains at facility and facility will continue to monitor.

PRLU or OLTC

Injury Follow-up, Licensing Follow Up, Notice of Incident

  • Licensing (Injury Follow-up)
    • Client told staff he took off the cast to his left upper extremity that was placed on 8/25/22, due to it being loose. RN assessed client and noted finger to be bruised and swollen with limited ROM. Client was sent to the ER for replacement of cast.
    • Licensing follow-up: Specialist was informed by the facility that client has a follow-up appointment with Ortho Arkansas to determine if client will remain with a splint or get another cast.

PRLU or OLTC

Licensing, Notice of Incident, Suicide Attempt

  • Licensing (Suicide Attempt)
    • Client pushed peer after he made a comment about client skipping in line, and client attempted to enter staff’s office. Client was restrained due to aggression and was placed in seclusion. Client banged on the walls and removed his jacket and began choking himself; Staff intervened. Client then began to have a seizure in seclusion and when nurse arrived, client became aggressive. Once client calmed, he allowed the nurse to assess him. Once in his room, client tried to choke himself with a pillowcase; Staff intervened. After incident, client complained of pain to his arm and the side of his face and was given Tylenol. Client was placed on eyeball, front of house, and RSPA.
    • Licensing follow-up: Client was placed on eyeball (constant supervision).

PRLU or OLTC

Licensing, Medical, Notice of Incident

  • Licensing (Medical)
    • Client had 3 episodes of vomiting around 7:10pm and was instructed to use a cool towel and lay down. Around 8pm, client went to the nursing station to receive medications. After taking medications, client fell out of a chair and proceeded to have 7 seizures. During this, 911 was called and client was taken to the ER via ambulance.
    • Licensing follow-up: Specialist requested update on client. Client returned to facility on 8/23/22 at 12:45am, and nursing note stated client was in good spirits and had no further incidents.

Police Report

Assist Ambulance

Officer was dispatched to assist MEMS with a psych patient they will be transporting. While in-route, Dispatch advised to disregard this call.

PRLU or OLTC

Notice of Incident, Suicidal, Threatening Behavior

  • Suicidal, Threatening Behavior
    • Client was made to leave group therapy for cursing at a peer and was informed privileges would be revoked. Client then slammed their head against a window and attempted to attack peer. A restraint was initiated, and once released, client went into room and shut the door. Staff explained the door needed to be open, and client then shut the door again. Staff opened the door to find client using a pencil to stab their wrist. Another restraint was initiated. Client later stated that given the opportunity, client would kill peer and then take their own life. Client placed on eyeball. No follow-up details.

Police Report

Suicide Threat

Officer responded to facility in reference to suicide threats. Upon arrival, juvenile advised he was having suicidal thoughts and was stressed out from the facility and wanted to go to the hospital. Juvenile was involved in a physical dispute on 08/09/22. MEMS transported juvenile to Pinnacle Pointe Hospital.

PRLU or OLTC

Assault, Notice of Incident, Threatening Behavior

  • Threatening Behavior, Assault
    • Client was personally restrained after attempting to attack a peer. During the restraint, client punched a staff member in the face, and 2 staff members hurt their thumb and forearm. The client was transported to Pulaski County Juvenile Detention.
    • Licensing follow-up on 8/11/22: Email received states that client was discharged from facility and that guardian had signed all discharge paperwork.

Police Report

Assist Ambulance

QRTP – Staff advised that juvenile was mad that he was back at facility and had seemed off all day. MEMS responded and transported juvenile to Rivendell Behavioral Health.

Police Report

Possible Information/ Battery Report

Staff stated while several staff were trying to break up a fight between 2 juveniles, juvenile struck staff member in the face and forearm intentionally. Juvenile was issued a court date, and staff members signed witness statements.

Police Report

Battery

QRTP – Staff stated before she arrived at facility, juvenile had ran away and hit someone’s motorcycle with a stick (no damage). Staff stated juveniles then called her a snitch because she informed other staff what juvenile did. Juveniles (3) then began fighting staff and threatened to kill staff. Juvenile also attempted to grab Officer’s firearm and kicked Officer in the legs. Juvenile was transported to juvenile detention.

Police Report

Battery

Officer was dispatched to take a report. Caller stated that on 7/11/22, juvenile attacked a child unprovoked and the child suffered minor injuries. Caller stated that on 8/1/22, juvenile attacked a staff member, destroyed a room, and made homicidal threats toward staff with a shank.