Damakant Jayshi
In October, some guardians and parents of people with developmental disabilities were taken by surprise when they received a joint notice from North Central Health Care and Opportunity, Inc., announcing a change of ownership.
The surprise was not just because the “change of ownership” was to take place in just one week, on Nov. 1. But also because they were anxious what the change of supervision of eight residential facilities listed in the notice would mean for them and their loved ones. Opportunity Inc. is a non-profit organization supporting residents in adult family homes, community supportive living and adult day services in Wood, Marathon and Portage Counties.
The joint notice said NCHC would continue to provide services – a 24/7 service, as families told this newspaper – to clients in the facilities through Nov. 1, 2023 and assured families that the change would have “little to no impact” on the residents of those facilities. Now, some families are accusing Opportunity Inc. of withdrawing crucial services and reneging on early promises. Some are also leveling serious accusations of neglect and mismanagement. Some parents and guardians say they are now weighing their options – including contemplating legal action.
About three months after the changeover, at least one resident, a 48-year-old woman who “has a mind of 9-year-old,” according to her mother, had to be taken to a hospital from Jelinek 2, a home that houses people with developmental disabilities in Schofield, after the staff at Opportunity Inc. allegedly did not administer the women’s medication as directed. Wausau Pilot & Review is granting anonymity to the woman to protect the private health information of her daughter.
Opportunity Inc. Executive Director Sara Satterfield, who is among the two signatories of the Oct. 24 joint notice, acknowledged the hospitalization but declined to comment on specifics.
“I will not comment on specific members and their care needs, as that would be exploiting people with disabilities and a breach of their confidentiality,” she said in an email. I will comment however that all of our members who have medication management in their contract receive that service. This particular member remains in our care in a setting more appropriate to meet her/his needs.”
In an interview with Wausau Pilot, the woman’s mother said her daughter had not previously had issues with receiving medication on time when she was under NCHC’s care. Without it, the woman said, her daughter was uncontrolled: hitting, slapping and spitting on the floor.
“She was never like this before,” she said. Never, never, never!”
Her daughter spent five days in the hospital. She is now in a group home, waiting while her family seeks another space with appropriate services. But moving forward it will not be under the care of Opportunity, Inc., her mother said.
The facilities where people with developmental disabilities live are usually privately-owned and organizations like Opportunity Inc. provide services to people with disabilities. They are paid by public funding through programs like IRIS and Inclusa. IRIS (Include, Respect, I Self-Direct) is a program for adults with disabilities and elderly people in Wisconsin. Until acquired by health insurance company, Humana, in 2022, Inclusa, Inc. was a managed care organization serving as part of the Family Care program of Wisconsin.
Change of ownership impacted residents, families
Soon after the notice arrived, the impact of the ownership change was felt by clients and their families. Of the eight residential facilities that house people with developmental disabilities where the change of operational management took place, supportive apartment services were provided at Riverview Towers and Riverview Terrace in Wausau and at locations on Jelinek Avenue in Schofield under NCHC. Others are categorized as community-based residential facilities (CBRF) or adult day services. Opportunity Inc. officials say the residents at the Jelinek facilities are serviced as part of community supportive living.
Residents at Jelinek have a range of developmental and intellectual disabilities. Some have seizures. Some need assistance to carry on with daily life activities, such as taking medication, maintaining personal hygiene and cooking. Compounding the challenges involved, some parents and guardians do not live in the Wausau area. They say the community should know that these are people who are absolutely dependent on others to lead healthy lives.
Some family members told Wausau Pilot that transportation services that were previously available were cut off soon after the change of ownership. Prior to this, according to the parent who was the first one to reach out to Wausau Pilot & Review, North Central Health Care provided that service through its foundation. Residents were shuttled in a van to their jobs, health care appointments and Special Olympics events, for example. They now have to take a cab or families have to drive them, one woman said, noting that her daughter cannot read, use a phone or easily communicate with others.
For some, the impact has been devastating.
“It has been stressful, upsetting, disheartening and incredibly unfair to people with disabilities,” one mother said. “This is a nightmare for them.”
The October press release emphasized that people served in these programs would continue to receive “the same type and level of care and programming that they are used to under the operational and administrative oversight of Opportunity, Inc.” But five families and two former employees say those proved to be empty assurances.
With the help of her sister, one resident spoke with Wausau Pilot about her experience. Three other guardians who have loved ones residing in the Jelinek homes also shared their concerns. Two former employees corroborated their stories.
All of them, except one guardian, spoke on the condition of anonymity, fearing retribution for themselves or their loved ones.
Opportunity Inc. evasive in addressing accusations
So far, Opportunity Inc. officials have not responded to specific questions regarding allegations of neglect and allegations of breaching their commitment to providing the same level of services that were previously available. Initially, they issued a one-paragraph statement from Program Director Emily Plowman.
“Opportunity Inc. is grateful to provide quality services to the 120 members across residential and community programs who transferred from NCHC,” Plowman said, in an email. “Our intent was to provide services to all members with as little impact to them as possible. However, (w)e have been unable to come to a contractual agreement for 5 of the 120 members.”
One parent said she has “no clue” what the “contractual agreement” is that Opportunity Inc. is referring to because she was not included or asked about any contract and thus, could not have declined. She shared a letter from Opportunity Inc. that formally terminated services for her child.
The 30-day notice specified a termination date of Feb. 28. Soon after, an eviction letter from the landlord of the residential facility, Ladonna Hall, notified her that she would need to vacate the premises by Feb. 29.
At least two families who have reported having issues with Opportunity Inc. say they too have received eviction letters, though Satterfield said her organization is “not a landlord” and has no ability to evict members from their homes. Hall refused to answer questions about how many families or residents have received eviction notices and the connection with Opportunity, Inc.
One mother said she was given a contract in the first week of December, but because the contract had left out several supportive services, like transportation, that were available under NCHC, she did not sign it. She said services took a hit from around the third week of November, roughly three weeks after Opportunity Inc. took over. So far, she hasn’t received a notice that services to her child will be discontinued, though she expects she may.
Satterfield, in an email to Wausau Pilot, insists that all programs remain as they did under NCHC.
A former employee alleged that Wisconsin Adult Protective Services has made several visits after reports of violations at Jelinek 1 and 2 facilities and that police have made some welfare checks to these homes. Satterfield acknowledges that those visits have happened.
“There are also many agencies which routinely oversee the health and safety of members, such as Adult Protective Services,” Satterfield added. “While APS and law enforcement have reviewed cases for people under the care of Opportunity Inc., none of those claims have been substantiated.”
She also said families or members can choose their service provider, for any reason.
Jennifer C. Miller from the communications team at Wisconsin Department of Health Services said that the local Adult Protective Services unit at North Central Health Care would be responsible for any investigations in Marathon County.
Vicky Tylka, managing director at North Central Health Care who oversees the state’s Adult Protective Services in Marathon, Langlade and Lincoln Counties, neither confirmed nor denied the allegations in the complaints.
“All client information related to APS is confidential, so I am not able to respond to your specific inquiry,” Tylka said.
A personal care assistant who had worked for NCHC for 15 years and two and half months for the non-profit after the handover is accusing Opportunity Inc. of trying to evict residents with severe developmental disabilities and replace them with clients who are more independent. Satterfield did not respond to that specific allegation, only saying that “Opportunity Inc. is one of many service providers, offering supports and supervision, to community members who live in residential settings or their own homes based on contractual agreements with various funding sources.”
The former employee said she left after her complaints about cuts in services were ignored. She felt the clients’ rights were being violated.
Shannon Charbarneau is another guardian who recently withdrew her sister from one of the Jelinek apartments and has opted for a different service. Her sister is now in the care of Succeed Independence LLC, which “provides in-home care to adults with physical and cognitive disabilities.”
Charbarneau said she chose to withdraw her sister from Opportunity Inc. after supportive services, like help with transportation, were discontinued and the families were not informed.
“No one contacted us to tell us about the services being cut off,” she said. “That was shocking.”
NCHC’s role questioned, too
While not all parents blame North Central Health Care for the current situation, some offer sharp criticism and say NCHC should have given them adequate advance notice about the change, so that they could have considered other options. The joint notice to families was sent just a week before Opportunity Inc. was to take over.
“I am very disappointed in NCHC too,” one mother said. “They did not give us a more advanced notice. Had they done so, we could have looked for other options.” She is planning to withdraw her daughter from Opportunity Inc.’s care.
NCHC’s Executive Director Gary Olsen, the other signatory to the Oct. 24 notice about the change of ownership, initially appeared to downplay concerns.
“Apparently, if they are upset, they could have left,” Olsen said, referring to families who complained about the short time and alleged poor services under the new management. “Each company has their own way of doing things.”
Olsen called the controversy a “non-story” and said the issue involves “only five individuals, mainly their families, who are upset with NCHC about the switch over.” Those families, he said, chose a new service provider.
In an October TV interview, Olsen praised Opportunity Inc. and its ability to take over the program. But speaking with this newspaper over the phone, Olsen said on more than one occasion he is not aware of the current situation at the residential facilities. He said he believed Opportunity Inc. still provided the same services to all members.
But even he pointed out that the changes could have happened since the switch.
“I know when the transfer took place, the agreement was that Opportunity Inc. would continue to provide the services provided by NCHC,” he said. “But their agreement with families could change, like many agreements do.” Families have said they are not aware of what agreements NCHC and Opportunity Inc. are referring to.
Options for residents limitedes
Families who are dissatisfied have few choices and a difficult road ahead.
“I would like to add that moving home is not an option for many of the residents and there are waiting lists everywhere,” one mother said. “Some of these individuals who are vulnerable and at risk will have a very difficult time finding another place to live.”
Mike Rhea, executive director of Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) of Central Wisconsin told this newspaper by email that a guardian or an individual does not feel the services are adequate and if they are enrolled in the Family Care or IRIS program, “they can contact an Ombudsman who will serve as an advocate.”
He added that Jelinek 1 and Jelinek 2 are” supported apartment programs,” Rhea said, though he also suggested confirming it with Opportunity Inc. “Individuals live independently within the apartments with supports coming in to assist with developing independent living skills. The amount and type of support would vary depending on what is needed to support the individual.”
