Staff Members at Two Sauk Rapids Group Homes Cited For Emotional Abuse

SAUK RAPIDS - Staff members at two group homes for vulnerable adults in Sauk Rapids have been cited for three incidents of emotional abuse.

An investigation memorandum from the Minnesota Department of Human Services says the incidents involved facilities at 1856 and 1852 Eastern Star Loop in Sauk Rapids prior to May 26th.

The report says a staff person screamed at a vulnerable adult and other clients and called them inappropriate names and racial slurs. It was also reported the staff person made the vulnerable adult sit in an office for over and hour and had them write positive statements about them.

The third incident involved the staff person bear hugging a different vulnerable adult and taking them to the floor. Another staff person then pulled their pants down so their genital area and buttocks were exposed.

An investigator confirmed the allegations after visiting the facility and conducting 14 interviews in early June.

The staff persons no longer work at the facilities. The first staff person was disqualified from a position allowing direct contact with, or access to, persons receiving services from facilities licensed by the Department of Human Services.

It was found the facility had knowledge of one or more incidents but did not report the incidents as required because they had confusion regarding how to report the maltreatment as well as fear of retaliation.

The license holder has been fined $200 for failure to report the maltreatment.