Michelle Roberts, November 10, 2007
Gov. Ted Kulongoski on Friday called for swift reforms in the state's care system for people with developmental disabilities, and key Oregon lawmakers said they would make the issue a priority in February's special legislative session.
The push comes after The Oregonian reported that at least one of every five adult clients in state-licensed foster or group homes have been victims of serious abuse or neglect since 2000, the year the state closed its primary residential institution for the developmentally disabled, the Fairview Training Center in Salem ...
Rep. Sara Gelser, D-Corvallis, vice chairwoman of the House Human Services and Women's Wellness Committee, said she will work to bring forward proposals in the coming weeks. Gelser, who has a developmentally disabled child, said she supports a registry but also wants to improve recruiting and training.
Nearly seven in 10 group home workers leave their jobs within the first year. The high turnover creates higher costs for recruiting and training replacements, and studies have shown it contributes to abuse.
The average pay for a direct-care worker in Oregon is less than $10 an hour.