More violations found at Ypsilanti Township adult foster care facility

By Lee Higgins Crime and courts reporter

Posted on Thu, Nov 3, 2011 : 5:58 a.m.

State licensing officials recently found two violations at an Ypsilanti Township adult foster care home where records show a patient wasn't given proper medical attention in 2009 and another patient was scalded in a shower in 2008.

In the latest case, officials found that Clark Road Home staff did not obtain medical attention in a timely fashion for a mentally disabled patient after finding scrapes and blisters on his buttocks in late July.

The home, which is operated by the Milan-based non-profit Renaissance Community Homes Inc., submitted a corrective action plan to the state Oct. 12 and no disciplinary action was taken against its license, state licensing officials said.

It marks the third time since 2008 that state officials have found violations at the small group home on West Clark Road after responding to complaints. The company had 122 violations at its homes in southeast Michigan since 2000, a previous investigation by AnnArbor.com found.

In the recent case, a resident who is mentally and physically disabled and cannot talk, had red marks and blisters on his buttocks July 22. The patient's condition was documented by a staff member who could not reach the medical coordinator, a state special investigation report shows.

Investigators found the patient wasn't seen by a doctor for four days. In addition, officials found that the patient went on a day trip July 25 and staff didn't provide diapers for him or a medicated cream that was being used to treat a wound in his right thigh area.

Renaissance is being sued by the family members of Molly Ripley, who are alleging that neglect at Clark Road Home led to her death in late 2009.

Molly, who was mentally retarded, blind and had cerebral palsy, died two days after her mother removed her from the home and called for an ambulance. At University of Michigan Hospital, tests showed Molly had been dehydrated to the point of kidney failure, medical records say, and had significant bed sores.

In that case, state licensing officials found five violations, determining that staff members failed to seek medical attention for Molly when she was in respiratory distress, did not reposition her as prescribed and failed to relay her needs to other staff members. Molly was fed through a stomach tube and officials found that a staff member marked off that she fed Molly and gave her water prior to Molly's mother stopping by, but later admitted that wasn't the case.

Also, in 2008, state licensing officials found four violations at the home after a staff member put a female patient in the shower and the patient was scalded, suffering a second-degree burn to her hip. The house's own records showed there were issues with the water temperature for four weeks, but the problems weren't fixed.

Michael Conner, executive director of Renaissance, could not be reached for comment Wednesday.