Group home loses its license, must close

• By JASON BROWN
• Advocate Acadiana bureau
• Published: Nov 6, 2009 - Page: 1BA

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LAFAYETTE — The state has revoked the license of a Lafayette group home, citing no less than 10 infractions against the facility.

The Vermillion Group Home, 800 E. Vermillion St., received the notice of license revocation from the state Department of Social Services on Monday.

At the time of revocation, there were seven children placed at Vermillion, licensed for a maximum of 16 beds.

The home received its first license from the Department of Social Services in January 1995, according to Trey Williams, agency spokesman.

According to the revocation notice, the home already had been under scrutiny after receiving a “needing improvement” score during the state Department of Social Services’ Residential Safety and Risk Assessment performed during the summer 2008.

Afterward, a “Corrective Action Plan” was implemented, but a recent licensing inspection conducted Oct. 23 verified a lack of sustained compliance, according to the notice.

The state’s notice cited several infractions, including: inadequate supervision; failure to complete annual performance evaluations for 11 of the facility’s 17 staff members; inadequate staffing; failure to timely report that residents had escaped from the facility; timely and competent medical care; and keeping the facility in good repair.

On Sept. 17, seven residents were left unsupervised for more than four hours when they were dropped off at the local library, which was closed, and left to return on their own, according to the notice.

On Oct. 17, direct-care staff were slow to intervene regarding an incident in which a resident’s jaw was broken during an altercation.

On the same day, the provider delayed a child’s medical attention for about eight hours and documentation indicated the child was taken to a shopping mall with other residents about 60 miles from the group home before medical attention was sought, the notice stated.

“The child sustained an injury which was so severe it would have prompted a reasonable person to seek immediate medical attention,” the notice stated.

The notice also listed problems with broken shower fixtures and large holes in the first- and second-floor walls.

The home has been visited at least 48 times by police in the last year.