Ten state school workers fired after audit

July 14, 2008, 3:42PM
Ten state school workers fired after audit


By JANET ELLIOTT
Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle


AUSTIN — Texas is failing to follow the wishes of many mentally retarded residents who say they want to leave large state institutions for smaller, community-based homes, an audit found.

The report faulted the Department of Aging and Disability Services for failing to provide community living options for 449 residents of the state schools during fiscal year 2007. That number represented 70 percent of 644 residents who expressed a preference for an alternative living situation.

Auditors also identified 10 state school employees who were listed in a state misconduct registry as unemployable due to prior acts of abuse and neglect. When their names were brought to the agency's attention, all were fired.

Additionally, the audit said the agency should better document its discussions with consumers, as well as the reasons for not providing community living arrangements. Such documentation could help explain why half of state school consumers had expressed no preference for specific living arrangements.

"These issues are significant because Texas has the nation's largest population of consumers of mental retardation services living in large, state-run institutions," said the report from State Auditor John Keel.
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