Thursday, June 15, 2006
Contact: Spence Jackson, 573-751-0290
Blunt Steps In For Client Safety; Asks Lt. Gov. Kinder to Oversee Joint Investigations
JEFFERSON CITY –Gov. Matt Blunt today asked Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder and Ron Dittemore, interim director for the Department of Mental Health, to oversee a cross agency effort the governor developed and initiated following several recent deaths in state operated and private mental health facilities.
“I have called on state agencies to work together under the leadership and guidance of our lieutenant governor and interim Mental Health director to ensure that no instances of potential abuse or neglect in public and private facilities are overlooked," Blunt said. "My goal is to ensure that client safety is protected and that timely and adequate investigations are done in every instance in which a death occurs at one of these facilities.”
Following Blunt's direction, the Departments of Mental Health, Public Safety, Health and Senior Services and Social Services will work to identify ways to cooperate in investigating all deaths occurring at mental health facilities. The departments have been asked to produce a short term plan for conducting joint investigations while developing a long term cooperative effort to ensure that every instance of potential abuse or neglect in public and private facilities is investigated and addressed appropriately.
The collaborative effort creates a new level of protection and oversight and will draw on outside state agencies to play a specifically defined role in the investigation process. The cooperation will help eradicate conflict of interest or potential prejudice that might otherwise exist or be perceived in investigations.
Collaboration and discussion among agencies is expected to begin immediately, though a formal timeline has not been defined.
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