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I am an employee of the Beatrice State Developmental Center, and I feel that I must speak out against what I feel is an irresponsible article written by the Associated Press. I do so at risk to my own future employment, but I feel it is necessary.

We did not pass the Federal inspection. That much of the article is the whole truth. The rest of the article is true, but it is guilty of omission of information that makes things seem worse than they are. I would like to think that the information was not brushed aside in the name of sensationalism. I really would, but the fact is that it seems that the information was omitted to cause the article to feel more "newsworthy" to the reader. While I can't go into any detail about any specifics, I would like to at least address the issues.

"an 18-year-old woman reported being raped by another client at the Beatrice State Developmental Center."

That is only partially true. It is policy that all sexual encounters between clients are to be classified as rape or sexual assault. So even if both parties consent to having sex with each other, it is still classified as a rape. This policy is largely based on the idea that these people are incapable of making decisions of their own, even if they are of a normal or near-normal functioning level.

"And one client suffered a black eye after being improperly restrained."

I take issue with that statement because it is not made clear if the client was improperly restrained, or if the client was restrained properly but protocol was not followed to the letter. Injuries will happen when people are put in restraint. It is a simple fact of the nature of the beast. If someone is being placed in restraints it isn't because they said a naughty word. Restraints are used because either the client is being physically aggressive towards someone, or they are engaged in self-injurious behavior. There are steps that staff must go through in order to place someone in restraints and it is only to be used as a last resort. Sometimes, if the behavior is dangerous enough, it is the only step. While people are being put in restraints they are not doing so willingly. Bumps and bruises are bound to happen and I feel that the Federal surveyors made a mountain out of a mole hill.

The whole article in general reads as though the staff are beating the residents, allowing people to be raped at will, and generally just don't care. Nothing could be farther from the truth. The residents are receiving the highest level of care that the direct support staff are capable of providing them. I really wish the media would actually come and talk to the staff before printing the garbage I've seen printed in various newspapers over the last few days. Or at least state things in a proper context so that the reader is allowed to form an accurate opinion of the state of affairs at BSDC.

We have to make a lot of changes. Most of these changes are going to be made at the administrative level, but that isn't to say that the direct support staff don't need to make changes as well. But things are not as bad as the press has made it sound, and we really wish the media would handle this issue with a little more respect and caution. You are going to ruin our lives if you don't.

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