An assisted living facility's license to operate has been suspended by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment's Heath Facilities Division following an investigation into a series of complaints.

State officials suspended the operation of Johnson Home assisted living, 413 W. 13th St., on Aug. 6, and are moving forward with proceedings to permanently revoke the license of the 19-bed home.

Certified as an alternative care facility under Medicaid, the Johnson Home's owners and operators are Paul Spicola and Alan Spicola, named as respondents in the state action.

According to the order of suspension, the state determined that the operators "engaged in acts that violated department statutes and regulations that endangered residents' health, safety and welfare."

In all, 14 deficiencies were discovered, including failure to provide personal services and protective oversight to meet the needs of two residents suffering from severe mental illness, and in doing so, failing to provide "a physically safe and sanitary environment, affecting all 19 residents."

One of the residents, who had been refusing his psychotropic medications for one year, became violent and aggressive and is said to have started several fires inside and outside of the home. Despite this, the resident was not regularly monitored and continued to have access to a lighter, and was allowed to smoke in his room.

Another resident who had been refusing his psychotropic medication for about eight months became aggressive and assaulted other residents, which resulted in an incarceration. He also pierced his face with foreign objects, which required medical treatment and inpatient behavioral health hospitalization.

The operators were cited for failure to ensure the residents' authorized practitioner was promptly notified of a resident's pattern of refusing medications.

While on site, state officials observed that 10 out of 10 residents taking morning medications had one or more medications out-of-stock and unavailable.

One resident, admitted with a diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder and manic depression, missed 70 doses of medication since June. Another, admitted with schizoaffective disorder, diabetes and COPD, had missed 36 total doses.

Another charge is failure to discharge, transfer or evict those residents who posed a danger to themselves or others.

These include those with chronic/severe mental illnesses — one on oxygen — allowed to smoke in their rooms, against house rules. One resident threatened others with a knife and stabbed a door, and another allowed homeless people to sleep in his/her room.

Additionally, the order of suspension notes that the operators have not renewed the Johnson Home's license since 2016, which resulted in the department issuing a "notice of invalid license and renewal denial letter" in May 2019, mandating submission of all past renewal items and fees.

Previous failures to substantially comply with regulations and statutes resulted in the department imposing intermediate conditions, which included a civil fine of $6,100.

On the day of suspension, Health Facilities Department staff, Adult Protective Services, and a local ombudsman were present at the facility. Department staff are working with state and local officials, including designated case managers, to coordinate the transfer of residents to have their medical and non-medical needs consistently met with a different licensed health facility.

jpompia@chieftain.com

Twitter: @jpompia