ELIZABETH KELLEY

Mental DisabilitY BLOG.

  • HOME
  • BIO
  • BOOKS
  • FAQS
  • NEWSLETTERS & PRESS
  • MENTAL DISABILITY BLOG
  • FEDERAL PRACTICE
  • TESTIMONIALS
  • CONTACT

11/28/2022

Arizona Governor Issues Executive Order Protecting People With Disabilities

Read Now
 
Picture
Arizona Governor Doug Ducey issued an executive order aimed at protecting people with disabilities, a few years ago. The Governor is ordering three state agencies, the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System, the Arizona Department of Health Services, and the Arizona Department of Economic Security to strengthen protection for some of the state’s most vulnerable residents. The aim is to protect people with disabilities from abuse and neglect by caregivers and other individuals.
 
Great First Step
 
The executive order came one week after the Arizona Developmental Disabilities Planning Council(ADDPC) issued a report calling for greater protection for those individuals with disabilities. These improvements include better training for staff, parents, and guardians. When he issued the executive order, the Governor indicated that he wanted stricter oversight, increased accountability, and to hold bad actors accountable for abuse and neglect. 
 
Many feel that the executive order was issued in response to the sexual assault of a 29-year old resident of an Intermediate Care Facility for the Intellectually Disabled (ICF-ID). The victim gave birth in December. A nurse at the facility has been charged with rape. 
 
More Likely to be Victims
 
In the executive order, the governor notes that individuals with intellectual disabilities are seven times more likely to be sexually assaulted. This is also true for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities that live in group homes and other facilities. Two mentally disabled clients at a community center in Virginia were discovered to be pregnant. In February, Bernard Betts-King, a behavioral specialist at the center, was charged with sexually assaulting both women. DNA tests showed that he was the father to at least one of the women’s children.
 
Individuals with intellectual and other disabilities are also vulnerable to other forms of abuse and neglect by caretakers in facilities. Many people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) require assistance with their daily tasks. This leads to close and frequent contact with caretakers. It can be difficult for individuals with IDD to recognize when they aren’t being treated properly and to report the situation.
 
With an increase in oversight and protections for individuals with disabilities, the Governor hopes to make Arizona a safer place for the vulnerable. Requiring increased training for caregivers on how to recognize abuse and neglect and posting instructions on how to report abuse and neglect can make it so that other employees can hold their co-workers responsible. 
 
If you or a loved one has a mental disability and has been arrested or convicted of a crime, you need an experienced criminal defense attorney on your side. Elizabeth Kelley specializes in representing individuals with mental disabilities. To schedule a consultation call (509) 991-7058.

Share


Comments are closed.
Details

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

East Coast 
​
Elizabeth Kelley, Attorney at Law
5 Columbus Circle, Ste. 710
New York, NY 10019
West Coast
Elizabeth Kelley, Attorney at Law
2525 E 29th Ave., Ste. 10-B #225
Spokane, WA 99223
phone: 509.991.7058
email: zealousadvocacy@aol.com
Nothing contained on this website is to be considered as the rendering of legal advice for specific cases, and readers are responsible for obtaining such advice from their own legal counsel.
  • HOME
  • BIO
  • BOOKS
  • FAQS
  • NEWSLETTERS & PRESS
  • MENTAL DISABILITY BLOG
  • FEDERAL PRACTICE
  • TESTIMONIALS
  • CONTACT