LARGO — The state has ordered a Pinellas mental health facility for girls not to accept any more clients because of a youth who has repeatedly assaulted other clients and staffers.
State officials said the girl is a resident of a facility in Largo for youths with mental health and behavioral problems. The facility is operated by Personal Enrichment for Mental Health Services.
The girl has been accused of "physically assaulting" other girls in the center seven times, "with several of these occasions resulting in documented physical injury," since April, the Agency for Health Care Administration said in court papers filed June 12 in Leon Circuit Court. The girl also assaulted staff at least four times, AHCA said.
The state says PEHMS responded to each incident immediately and notified the appropriate authorities, but should have done more to document what it was doing to make sure the other girls didn't get hurt again. PEMHS also should have better documentation to show how it was updating the girl's treatment plan, AHCA said.
PEMHS is cooperating with the state and is taking the investigation seriously, said executive director Tom Wedekind. He said the agency already has increased the nursing and supervisory staff, talked to consultants and asked a quality assurance team for a complete report.
Wedekind said he wants to make sure that the assaults stop, and also that the staff works to "make sure our kids are feeling protected and are feeling safe there."
The order to stop accepting new clients can be lifted if PEMHS can satisfy the state agency's concerns.
Times Staff Writer Curtis Krueger can be reached at (727) 893-8232 or ckrueger@sptimes.com
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