US Dept. of Justice will investigate whether state has been violating federal rights of people with disabilities

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JOSE: THE IOWA DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES DIRECTOR SENT THIS EMAIL TO GLENWOOD RESOURCE CENTER STAFF THIS PAST MONDAY INFORMING THEM THE FACILITY’S TOP OFFICIAL WAS BEING PLACED ON ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE. KELLY GARCIA’S EMAIL CONFIRMS GRC SUPERINTENDENT DR. JERRY REA WAS PLACED ON LEAVE AMID AN INVESTIGATION BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE INTO ALLEGED CIVIL RIGHTS ABUSES AGAINST SOME OF THE CENTER’S RESIDENTS. GLENWOOD RESOURCE CENTER PROVIDES CARE TO ABOUT 250 IOWANS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES, MANY OF WHOM HAVE OTHER HEALTH ISSUES. KETV NEWSWATCH 7 LEARNED THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE NOTIFIED THEM OF THE INVESTIGATION -- NOTIFIED DHS OF THE INVESTIGATION IN LATE NOVEMBER. IN THIS LETTER FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE’S CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION SENT TO IOWA GOVERNOR KIM REYNOLDS ON NOVEMBER 21, FEDERAL ATTORNEYS SAY THEY WILL INVESTIGATE ALLEGATIONS OF HARMFUL HUMAN EXPERIMENTS, INADEQUATE MEDICAL CARE, NEEDLESS RESTRAINT PRACTICES, AND INCIDENTS THAT CAUSED RESIDENTS PHYSICAL INJURY. THE INVESTIGATION ADDS TO TH CENTER’S RECENT TROUBLES, FIVE FORMER DHS WORKERS WERE CONVICTED IN 2018 FOR MISTREATING GRC RESIDENTS. IN 2016, EMPLOYEES QUIT FOLLOWING ABUSE ALLEGATION WE WENT TO GLENWOOD RESOURCE CENTER’S MAIN OFFICE TO ASK STAFF FOR COMMENT ON THE INVESTIGATION AND THE LETTER SENT BY DHS. THEY SAID ALL COMMENTS WOULD HAVE TO COME THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES. IN THE MEANTIME, THE SUPERINTENDENT AT THE STATE-RUN WOODWARD RESOURCE CENTER, WHICH IS ALSO BEING INVESTIGATED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, WILL SERVE AS ACTING SUPERINTENDENT HERE REPORTING FROM GLENWOOD, IO

Advertisement Director of Glenwood facility fired over allegations of 'harmful human experiments' US Dept. of Justice will investigate whether state has been violating federal rights of people with disabilities Share Shares Copy Link Copy

Update: The Iowa Department of Human Services fired Glenwood facility director Jerry Rea amid a Department of Justice investigation into the facility he managed.In a letter from the state to Rea, the department cites "a mounting list of disregard for policies and procedures."Rea must vacate the premises within 30 days.The letter also reads, "During this time you are not to be on the grounds of the Glenwood Resource Center where individuals are served or administrative services are being delivered."The termination is effective immediately.The Department of Human Services said "while we are working quickly to hire a new superintendent, Marsha Edgington will remain the interim superintendent of the Glenwood Resource Center."Previous story:Accusations of abuse and experimentation on vulnerable Iowans have brought the U.S. Department of Justice in to investigate the state-run Glenwood Resource Center (GRC).As federal attorneys look into problems at the facility, the director of Iowa's Department of Human Services said the GRC's top official was placed on administrative leave on Monday.DHS Director Kelly Garcia's email to GRC staff confirmed the department placed Dr. Jerry Rea on leave "in light of" an investigation into alleged civil rights abuses against some of the center's residents. Matt Highland, a DHS spokesman, confirmed that Garcia sent the email and sent KETV a copy of Garcia's email.The Glenwood Resource Center provides care to about 250 Iowans with intellectual disabilities, many of whom have other health issues. KETV Newswatch 7 learned the U.S. DOJ notified Iowa DHS of the investigation in late November.KETV Newswatch 7 also obtained a copy of Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband's letter sent to Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds on Nov. 21. Dreiband, who leads the DOJ's Civil Rights Division, wrote that federal attorneys would investigate: (1) allegations of "harmful" human experiments performed on residents; (2) inadequate medical care; (3) needless restraint practices; (4) and incidents that caused residents physical injury.KCCI reports the investigation is related to "human subject experiments" is focused on "optimal hydration" under the "Perfect Care Index," and "sexual arousal studies."DHS officials confirmed to KCCI there have been three deaths in the past eight weeks at GRC.This federal investigation adds to the center's recent troubles. Five former Iowa DHS workers were convicted in 2018 for mistreating GRC residents. In 2016, several employees quit following abuse allegations.According to Garcia's email, Marsha Edgington, the superintendent at the state-run Woodward Resource Center, which is also being investigated by the DOJ, will serve as GRC's acting superintendent in the interim.KETV Newswatch 7 contacted GRC staff for a response to the investigation. Staff declined to comment and referred all questions to the Iowa DHS.