Arizona Disability Advocates for Group Home Abuse Against People with Developmental Disabilities
Developmental disability is general term used to refer to people with life-long disabilities resulting from mental and/or physical impairments. Individuals with developmental disabilities typically have an impaired ability to care for themselves or function independently. As a result, many people with developmental disabilities reside in residential group home facilities.
Group home residents with developmental disabilities and their families must place a great deal of trust in group home administrators and staff members. Unfortunately, many group homes and their staff members violate that trust. In order to cut costs, many group homes employ inexperienced and inadequately trained staff members and cut corners. This can lead to an environment in which abuse and neglect can happen.
If you have a loved one with developmental disabilities who resides in a group home in Phoenix, Glendale, Scottsdale or elsewhere in Maricopa County and you suspect abuse or neglect in their facility, you should contact an Arizona group home abuse attorney.
About Developmental Disabilities
The term developmental disability is a legal term used to describe people with lifelong mental and/or physical disabilities. The legal definition of developmentally disabled defines it as a disability which affects daily functioning in three or more of the following areas:
- Capacity for independent living
- Economic self-sufficiency
- Learning
- Mobility
- Receptive and expressive language
- Self-care
- Self-direction
Developmental disabilities are typically caused by conditions such as mental retardation, autism spectrum disorder, genetic and chromosomal disorders such as Down syndrome and Fragile X syndrome, and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.
Duties of Group Homes
As can be seen from the above definition, individuals with developmental disabilities may need assistance and care in many different aspects of their lives. In addition, since individuals with developmental disabilities may have any combination of the impairments, and those impairments may manifest themselves differently in everyone, it is essential that group homes provide individualized care that meets each resident’s specific needs.
Unfortunately, many group homes attempt to cut costs by hiring inexperienced staff, providing inadequate training, and understaffing. These conditions make it impossible to provide the individualized care that residents require, and create an environment in which abuse and neglect can happen.
Watching for Signs of Abuse and Neglect
Abuse and neglect can take many different forms in group home facilities. In addition, since many individuals with developmental disabilities lack the ability to fully communicate, they may not be able to alert their friends and family members that abuse is taking place. Therefore, when visiting their loved one in a group home, family members of residents should always be diligent and on the lookout for abuse. This includes speaking with their loved one, checking nursing logs, and looking for physical signs of abuse or neglect.
Contact an Arizona Group Home Abuse Lawyer
If your child or other loved one has a developmental disability and is a resident of a group home in Phoenix, Tempe, Scottsdale or elsewhere in Maricopa County, and you suspect that abuse or neglect may be taking place, you should consult with an Arizona group home abuse lawyer to discuss your case. For more information, please visit http://www.grouphomeabuselawyer.com/
