The watchdog arm of the Idaho Legislature is looking into complaints about mistreatment of people with severe disabilities who live at the Southwest Idaho Treatment Center in Nampa.
State lawmakers asked the Office of Performance Evaluations to start the investigation earlier this year. The evaluation will look at several things, including how the center is run, how it is held accountable for providing good care, and its staff workload, qualifications, and training.
For the past decade, the facility has been tasked with rehabilitating its residents, with the goal of getting them back into the community. Many end up staying at the center for long periods, though, or they cycle in and out.
The center came under scrutiny last year after a resident’s sudden death, and an internal investigation by the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare into mistreatment of residents. State Senators Cherie Buckner-Webb and Michelle Stennett, and Representative Caroline Nilsson Troy asked the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee in March to order an evaluation of the center.
OPE, an independent and nonpartisan agency of the Legislature, expects to complete its report by early in the 2019 legislative session.
The study on complaints about patient treatment is one of four that OPE is undertaking, in addition to child neglect, collection of court fees and fines, and the impact of state mandates on local government. (Idaho Statesman)
