Pennsylvania State Police investigates death of disabled man at group home

From Public Opinion Online in Pa.:

Officials are investigating the death Sept. 9 of a man being cared for at a Guilford Township home for people with developmental disabilities.

He may have died after being restrained by a caretaker. Timothy Bradford Smith, 37, died at around 1:30 p.m. Sept. 9 at his residence, 31 Field Circle, according to a joint press release issued Sept. 10 by Pennsylvania State Police in Chambersburg and the Franklin County Coroner's Office.

The house where Smith lived is owned by an agency called Person Directed Supports, Inc., according to Claire Hornberger, Franklin/Fulton County Mental Health/Mental Retardation administrator.

While Smith was the only person actually living in the house, "24-hour awake staff" are employed by PDS to arrive in shifts and care for whoever lives there, Hornberger said.

Hornberger and police said on Sept. 10 that they were unable to comment further on Smith's death, due to the ongoing nature of the investigation.

When asked about the practice of restraining patients, Hornberger said all such incidents are required to be reported to her agency, which acts as "the state's eyes and ears."

Since the beginning of this year, "this was the first reported use of a restraint" in any of Franklin County's developmental disability programs, she said during a phone interview.

When contacted Friday at the agency's Chambersburg office, a representative of PDS read a prepared statement over the telephone.

"We've learned of a tragic incident that occurred involving an individual in one of our programs. We extend our deepest sympathies to the individual's family and friends," he said.

The representative, who answered the agency's phone, said he was instructed not to disclose any information other than what was contained in the written statement.

"It is imperative to us that proper and appropriate care is provided to the individuals in our programs. This incident has been reported to the authorities and we will cooperate with their ongoing investigation. We cannot comment further at this time," he said.

Hornberger said PDS began operating in Franklin County in 2001. The agency owns six residential homes in the county, and serves a total of 20 people with disabilities through its residential and daytime programs.

"The mission of Person Directed Supports is to provide an opportunity for people and their families to learn about a larger world and to make decisions about how they choose to experience and contribute to the resources, joys, and traditions of the community," according to the agency's website. While she could not discuss any details about the circumstances surrounding Smith's death, Hornberger agreed to speak generally about the use of restraining techniques by caretakers.

She said restraint "is not a frequent practice," and called it a "last resort."

Pennsylvania's Code dictates specific guidelines for the use of restraints, according to the Mental Health and Mental Retardation Act of 1966 and the Mental Health Procedures Act.

"Restraints shall be employed only when necessary to protect the patient/resident from injuring himself or others, or to promote normal body positioning and physical functioning," the code states. Hornberger said there are a variety of different restraints, and caretakers are only allowed to execute maneuvers that they are trained to use properly. She said that there are circumstances when a properly executed restraint could result in death. Smith's autopsy was performed Friday at Lehigh Valley Hospital, according to a second joint press release issued by police and the coroner's office.

"The investigation is currently pending the receipt of the autopsy report, which is expected in 6 to 8 weeks," the release stated.

Franklin County Coroner Jeffrey Conner declined on Friday evening to comment on whether Smith's death was related to the use of restraint.

"That's why we have press releases," he said.