Just wondering if anyone knows
By Thoroughrob
@Thoroughrob (11742)
United States
October 21, 2012 9:38pm CST
My daughter started working at a residential home for the developmentally disabled back in May. The home was in trouble at the time with the state. She became house manager to the three girls. One has behavior issues and the other need everything done for them.
She worked her but off until the state and all the guardians were happy with what was going on in the home. The parents of the girl with behaviors had it put in her papers to make her do things on her own and don't let her get away with things.
Several times on her time, she had behaviors and would go off. When she did, it was reported to the case managers and the parents. This last time, she went off over taking her meds, because they are large. Again, she called her parents, and the case manager. The parents decided that they no longer want my daughter around their daughter and went to the County Board and demanded that she be pulled from the house. So now my daughter is working about 20 hours a week with another client, until they figure out where to put her.
The other 2 girls guardians are demanding she be put back in the house. Everyone, including the parents, admit that she was only doing her job, but the parents still want her out, as they say it is a personality conflict.
My question is, when you are in a group home, if you have issues with the staff, and the staff is doing their job, wouldn't it be your problem, as to where to go instead of getting that person taken out of there?
I understand that my son lives at home, and I do have the right, to request that someone not be sent back here. It is my home, not someone elses. I am just not sure how it works in a group home.
Would love some light on the subject, if anyone has any.
3 people like this
8 responses
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
23 Oct 12
thats terrible unfair of them. there are laws in our state that says you can sue if you have been unreasonabley discharged from a job. i had a problem similar once and when i threatened court, they talked me out of it with a large severence pay. 
i dont know the laws where you live.
i dont know the laws where you live.
@GardenGerty (160996)
• United States
23 Oct 12
The thing is, she has not been discharged. If they had a bad motive they would be just trying to make her so miserable she quits so they do not have to pay unemployment. I have seen that happen. I imagine that they will find hours for her if it is at all like where I am working. They will find alternative work for her that will have her fully employed soon.That would keep her from being able to draw uemployment.
@marsha32 (6631)
• United States
22 Oct 12
I can't give any advice since I've had no contact at all with group homes inside or employed by one.
It seems harsh from your story that they would make your daughter leave when clearly they know the attitude of the girl whose parents are complaining.
I hope everything works out for her.
Marsha
1 person likes this
@Thoroughrob (11742)
• United States
22 Oct 12
I think it is sad, that she looses her hours and could loose her apartment and everything. It seems a bit unfair for "You did nothing wrong, you did your job, and that is all, it is just a personality conflict."
1 person likes this
@KrauseHome (36447)
• United States
16 Nov 12
Wow!! I would think the people running these Group Homes would take into consideration what type of person this person is, where the parents are making complaints and decide what is Best for them all, and not just her. Sounds like no matter who they get this person is going to be a handful and could be partly to blame on her parents. Personally it might be worth her looking into some of the rules and regulations in that state regarding somewhere like this, and then decide what is Best. In the end I think it will be the Girl who created the problems that will end up really loosing out.
@Thoroughrob (11742)
• United States
16 Nov 12
The girl is still causing lots of problems for the people that still work there. My daughters boss, has yet to contact her. She has gotten back in at a group home she worked previously. At least she has some income. It just seems like she was punished for doing what she was supposed to. The bad thing is the drive is a lot longer to get to work, and she did have to take a bit of a pay cut. I guess that is what happens when clients have family on the County Board. I think it is crazy, and I can relate, as I have a child that could be in one of those homes.
@GardenGerty (160996)
• United States
23 Oct 12
It will vary from state to state and from agency to agency. Since I have worked for more than one agency what I can say is that generally this should be covered in the person centered support plan. If the young woman is having extreme issues she may need to be in a temporary placement in a psychiatric institution to get her meds evaluated. It is the right of the girl with behaviors to refuse her meds if she chooses to. Her parents and her agency have no right to force it. It does sound as if there is a personality conflict, and it is too bad that the other roommates are losing the relationship with your daughter. I think what would happen where I work is that she would be moving to another situation and your daughter would continue with the other two clients. For what it is worth, I had a client report me to the state for "abuse" in a similar situation. If the situation is the same where you are as it is here, her hours will pick up really soon. They are always short of good staff.
@Thoroughrob (11742)
• United States
23 Oct 12
The owner of the company won't let the Manager tell her anything, because she wants to tell my daughter what is going on. The owner has yet to call her or return any of the calls to her. My daughter is looking for another job as she is already in a situation that she pays her bills week to week, with very little left over.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (160996)
• United States
23 Oct 12
Okay, so she is at a "for profit" agency. Not sure if that affects anything. I am sure they will be losing a good employee if she finds something else. I am sorry.
@drannhh (15219)
• United States
24 Oct 12
What is supposed to happen simply does not happen at most workplaces that I ever heard of. Who is it that "Life is not fair?" It must have been the same person who said "No good deed goes unpunished." I am glad that the parents of the other two girls are supportive of your daughter.
@Thoroughrob (11742)
• United States
24 Oct 12
She cannot get anyone at the company she works for to tell her anything. She is looking at going back to work for the company she left to come to work for this company. They said they would hire her back. She needs to do something since this company is only giving her a few hours a week with another client.
1 person likes this
@drannhh (15219)
• United States
25 Oct 12
It is good to know that at least she has options. It seems to me that if the people she works for now are keeping her in the dark that is not a good situation. Not even if they increased her hours. Best wishes for her getting a good resolution of this issue soon.
@lacieice (2060)
• United States
23 Oct 12
During my time working in group homes, our clients signed contracts stating what they could do and couldn't do. One of the 'have to' items was medication compliance. If they refused meds, they could be removed from the home. Of coursek, we were dealing with adult clients, and that probably would make a difference.
State agencies have to be very careful how cases like this are handled. The agency your daughter works for may be afraid of losing not only the client, but also being reported to the governing body, which could cause licensing issues. I think you and her just have to be patient and wee if it can be worked out.
@Thoroughrob (11742)
• United States
26 Oct 12
The state has already taken over the company, for some other reason. I guess the owner would me the Manager of the Company now. I am sure they are doing it the easiest way possible, but it my daughter sure did get the raw end of the deal. She is giving up on waiting on them to figure things out. She cannot live on 20 hours a week, so she has applied at a home she used to work at. She had called the supervisor there when it first happened, and asked her if it was being handled properly. That supervisor, told her it was not, and what should have happened, but told her if things did not get straightened out they would hire her back as soon as the class she needs to start happen again. That is November 17, so she is going there even if things work out. She can go on call, or full time, so she is waiting.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (160996)
• United States
27 Oct 12
It is good that she has an option for more work already. Even if they straightened it out, I am not sure she would want to go back there to work. I am trying to work myself into more hours where I am.
@flowerchilde (12529)
• United States
23 Oct 12
I would suppose that whoever is running the program, whether government or another institution, would be the ones who make the decision. Unfortunately with government too often common sense seems to get thrown out the window. It seems obvious to me if it is simply a 'personality clash' or more likely a behavior problem on the part of the one patient, then the patient should be moved if the parents consider someone needs to go! People are all too quick to like to cast blame and have a scapegoat. I would guess this has happened before with this patient, about an outcome or way it was handled, i wouldn't know. And if they give in to the behavior, it will occur again. Either the patient needs to take her meds or she doesn't. And if she is dangerous when she doesn't well, that's still not the worker's fault.
@yoyo1198 (3641)
• United States
22 Oct 12
I was manager of various group homes. We took care of a house with 8 clients at a time. Personality issues did come up but not as severe as you describe. If there were conflicts, we would have a meeting with all involved and try to reach some kind of an understanding.
You are correct that it would be the responsible party's job to figure out what to do with an uncooperative client. Especially if the staff was not at fault for any of the conflict. These kind of things are supposed to be discussed in the preadmission meeting before either side decides to make the contract.
Some of these parents are so stressed and feeling guilty about putting the clients into the care of others that they can just be unreasonable at times. It takes quite a bit of psychology to deal with them.
@Thoroughrob (11742)
• United States
22 Oct 12
My daughter worked with this girl before the girl was put in the home, and had a great time, but it was just a couple of hours, once a week. She lost her as a client, because she was put in the home by her parents.
I have a son with Cerebral Palsy that lives with me, so I do know a little, but not about the homes.
I just think it is a shame that my daughter, may have to move, as she was working 50 hours a week and now is down to 20, and has worked her tail off, some of it off the clock, to make all of them happy. It is just a big slap in the face. She don't know what to do, and is so upset.
I know how hard it can be for parents, but I do feel, as a parent that understands, that it is being handled all wrong. A brother is the head of the County Board of DD and I feel that it is trying to be pushed the way the parents want it.
