RIDGE CREEK SCHOOL ORCC OVERSIGHT PARALLEL TO: Investigation Finds Dozens Of Questionable Deaths In Florida Assisted Care : NPR

There is an alarming parallel between elderly care in Nursing Homes and the care of our children in Residential Child Care Facilities. The parallel runs not only in the fact that the elderly gave us our future, our children, but the fact that we have failed both our elderly and our children in out-sourced care. This article is indicative of that failure.

http://www.npr.org/2011/05/06/135800656/dozens-of-questionable-deaths-seen-in-assisted-care

Time and again violations were found and citations were given with no consequences to a facility. Minute fines are inconsistently levied. If there are no consequences, nothing will change, and these facilities will be free to run amok. Why have oversight if it is ineffective?

Abuse is a crime, fraud is a crime, neglect is a crime ...

PARALLEL EXAMPLE : RIDGE CREEK SCHOOL
RIDGE CREEK SCHOOL, THE GEORGIA ORCC CITATIONS REPEAT VIOLATIONS AND FINES
How many violations, citations?  Enough to cover hundreds of pages. Over the years(that we are privy to) the ORCC has fined Ridge Creek School, formerly Hidden Lake Academy, only twice amidst repeat violations which included and cited "child endangerment."  The fines were miniscule reflective of a few trips to a landfill or the cost of a few high-tech shredders from Office Depot.  Certainly far less than I have paid for documents from the ORCC.
Perhaps the ORCC has forgotten their 'mission.'  Why does Georgia even bother to have oversight if there are virtually no consequences?  Why send out your investigators, who do their job, when those investigators are not backed up? The agencies appear just as free to run amok as this facility with no accountability, as apparently there are no consequences for their ineptitude thanks to sovereign immunity.  However, the ORCC is accountable to the children. Children and youth, ages 12 to 18+, that are being warehoused in a so-called, ”Therapeutic Boarding School” with mental health issues covering a wide spectrum including those that are suicidal and violent, those with a myriad of learning disabilities, and those that are adjudicated youth offenders.  Separately, with dedicated, credentialed, licensed, seasoned staff there may be hope.   This recipe has and shall continue to be a disaster. The ORCC supervisors maintain regulations need to change. Duh, ya think? Yet years ago in an email I received from former staff, “DHR workers tried hard to hold Hidden Lake Accountable supervisors backed down”(regulation of Hidden Lake Academy)[August 12th,2006].  The children do not need platitudes, nor do we that advocate for their safety and transparency in an all to shady, cloak and dagger industry.  We need mavericks that will fight for the children.  We don't need politicizing and people in supervisory positions that cite how "connected" one is in Atlanta. If we didn't advocate, with every inch of our soul, for an investigation from the cesspool to the Governor, the ORS/ORCC, would still be commiserating over when to have a sit down and discuss the now Ridge Creek School.
Am I angry?  With every breath.

Abuse, intentional fraud, neglect - is a crime.

That's my take.
 J. W.
  
NEW ORCC REPORT:  http://jilliestake.blogspot.com/p/ridge-creek-school-update-new-orcc.html