Federal Report Says Tennessee Fails to ‘Protect’ People With Mental Retardation Living in ‘Supervised Homes’
A federal report recently concluded that Tennessee has "failed to protect the health of mentally retarded people," the AP/Knoxville News-Sentinel reports. The results of the report, prepared by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (formerly HCFA), prompted the agency to place a moratorium on moving additional residents out of state-run developmental centers to community-based care settings. Specifically, the report found that "numerous" medication errors were reported without "appropriate" follow up; many homes lacked "adequate" food; many homes failed to update or heed patient "care plans"; and community agencies often refused to send medical records to patients' family members. The report was mailed on Aug. 3 to TennCare Commissioner Mark Reynolds and contained a warning from federal officials that the state may lose federal funding for community services for mentally retarded people or people with other developmental disabilities. According to the AP/New-Sentinel, the federal examination of Tennessee's treatment of people with mental retardation began in 1990, when the U.S. Justice Department began checking conditions at a state-run facility in Memphis. The AP/News-Sentinel reports that federal officials stepped up the investigation last year when family members began complaining about the state facilities. Approximately 6,600 people with mental retardation or other mental disabilities receive state services (AP/Knoxville News-Sentinel, 8/7). For further information on state health policy in Tennessee, visit State Health Facts Online.
In the Aug. 9 issue Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, we provided the incorrect telephone number for the Insure Kids Now program featured in the story regarding the RWJF Covering Kids campaign. The correct number is 1-877-KIDS-NOW. We regret the error.
