State authorities have ordered a troubled mental health treatment center in Youngstown, Ohio, to halt new admissions of teenagers until significant issues are addressed. The Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services cited 47 violations in a 57-page report, highlighting numerous abuses and facility deficiencies at the Youth Intensive Services center.
Among the violations were 16 issues related to the improper restraint of teens. For instance, one employee shoved a child during a “power struggle,” and another instance involved a child being held in a restraint for an hour and 25 minutes. The report also noted the center’s physical disrepair, including broken tiles, missing furniture, and empty hand sanitizer dispensers, along with failures to conduct required staff training and background checks.
In response, Youth Intensive Services issued a written statement asserting its commitment to making the necessary changes and expressing confidence that admissions will be restored soon. “Our license continues to be in good standing and children well cared for within our facility,” the statement read.
This state action follows a damning report from Disability Rights Ohio, a non-profit advocacy organization. The May report from Disability Rights Ohio detailed severe abuses at the center, including teens being subjected to chokeholds, slaps, and verbal abuse, as well as being pinned to the ground. It also reported instances of children leaving the campus without permission, leading to dangerous situations.
The state has mandated that Youth Intensive Services submit a correction plan to address these issues. Failure to comply could result in further sanctions, including the potential revocation of the center’s license, as per state law.
“Obviously, we are glad that they are finally taking action, but we’re concerned that it took 16 months,” said Kerstin Sjoberg, director of Disability Rights Ohio. Sjoberg expressed frustration that the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services did not inform her organization of their review in June or the decision to suspend new admissions.
Sjoberg emphasized the importance of continued advocacy to ensure the issues are fully resolved. “We’re hopeful—usually, this is an amazing first step—but we’re not going to stop advocating because we still aren’t sure if it’s really going to get fixed,” she said.
The center, licensed for 33 children ages 12 to 18, has been the destination for child protective services agencies in multiple counties, including Franklin, Summit, Stark, Carroll, and Tuscarawas. However, the facility has faced numerous incidents; in the first five months of 2024 alone, 31 police reports were filed regarding children leaving the center. One child was found nearly 3.5 miles away at a bus station, and two others were left outside in winter for 20 minutes, periodically checked on by staff from the doorway.
Off-grounds, children have been exposed to dangerous conditions, including sexual assaults and injuries, according to the Disability Rights Ohio report.
The state licenses around 60 such residential facilities for at-risk children, but the troubling findings at Youth Intensive Services have spotlighted the urgent need for oversight and reform in these centers.
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