Page 5 - aruba-today-20190209

A5
U.S. NEWS Saturday 9 February 2019

Arizona health facility rape spurs video surveillance push

By TERRY TANG
Associated Press
PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona
is trying to catch up to 10
states with laws allowing
electronic monitoring and
other technology aimed at
deterring abuse of vulner-
able people at long-term
care facilities, following the
rape of an incapacitated
Phoenix woman who later
gave birth.
Cameras are most com-
monly used, but they pose
privacy issues, and advo-
cates and experts disagree
about their effectiveness.
Some say video surveil-
lance can help in criminal
cases but may not stop
attacks, while others have
seen improvements and
urge any effort to safe-
guard those who are ag-
ing, sick, disabled or oth-
erwise unable to protect
themselves.
The Arizona Legislature is
considering a measure that
would let certain facilities In this Feb. 5, 2019, file pool photo, Nathan Sutherland, accused of raping and impregnating a patient at Hacienda HealthCare, is
install video surveillance in arraigned in Maricopa County Superior Court in Phoenix, Ariz.
common areas. The pro- Associated Press
viders would have to detail have helped her aunt, who group Families for Better facility that serves young and Human Services Com-
how to avoid privacy viola- died of bedsores in a nurs- Care. “As far as prevention, people with intellectual or mission spokeswoman, said
tions. ing home but said that they I don’t know,” Lee said, developmental disabilities in an email.
The state would join Illinois, might be useful in other “but I’ve seen it used for and would work with the New Jersey has taken a dif-
Kansas, Louisiana, Mary- cases. prosecution.” state to move patients else- ferent approach. Its “Safe
land, New Mexico, Okla- Cameras in hallways can But one expert says a prop- where. Care Cam” program aims
homa, Texas, Utah, Virginia show who is at a patient’s erly designed closed-circuit After the birth, the state De- to catch abuse or neglect
and Washington with laws bedside and how often TV system with multiple partment of Health Services by allowing residents to
or regulations allowing sur- the patient is getting care, monitoring points can be implemented new safety borrow a hidden camera.
veillance equipment inside she said. She questions why a good deterrent. A com- measures at Hacienda, in- A loaner camera led to
nursing homes, assisted any facility would oppose mon mistake is to have cluding more monitoring of the January arrest of a
living centers and other them. one monitoring area that patient care areas but not caretaker at an assisted
group residential settings. “The industry doesn’t want nobody is watching, which video cameras. living facility. The attorney
“We’re looking into how it obviously,” Herman said. makes cameras reactive The department declined general’s office said foot-
to make it so parents have “But if they care about instead of proactive tools, to comment on the surveil- age showed her slapping
more reliable ways to en- these people, what’s the said Steve Wilder, president lance legislation Thursday. a 90-year-old bedridden
sure their loved ones are resistance to these cam- of Sorensen, Wilder & As- In Texas, a 2013 law allow- woman on the hand and
safe,” said Republican Rep. eras?” sociates, an Illinois-based ing facilities to install and roughly pushing her head
Nancy Barto, the measure’s Nicole Jorwic, director of health care safety and se- operate video surveillance back onto a pillow several
sponsor. “I’m learning a lot rights policy at The Arc, a curity consulting group that equipment in common ar- times. The victim couldn’t
of group homes already do national advocacy group works primarily with hospi- eas has made an impact, communicate verbally be-
this. Some of those policies serving people with intel- tals and senior living com- health officials said. Devic- cause of a stroke.
are actually working.” lectual and developmen- munities. es can only be placed in In Arizona, the lawmaker
Most of those laws place tal disabilities, cautioned “A lot of facilities think cam- the state’s 13 intermediate behind the camera legis-
the option and cost of that cameras are not a eras give the message of care facilities, which serve lation said it has “a good
electronic monitoring on “magic pill.” ‘We’re not a safe facility.’ nearly 3,000 patients with chance” of passing. As
residents and their guard- “Even if the law’s written Nothing could be further intellectual disabilities. chairwoman of the House
ians. A majority of the laws perfectly well, it’s not go- from the truth,” Wilder said. Cameras have both con- Health & Human Services
say residents or their surro- ing to capture every form Details were not known firmed and cleared staff in Committee, Barto can likely
gates can put a camera or of abuse and neglect,” Jor- about the security system at allegations of abuse, ne- get the measure a hearing.
monitoring device in their wic said. the Phoenix facility, where glect or exploitation. Gov. Doug Ducey, a Re-
rooms but must notify the While cameras could help a licensed nurse is charged “There was an initial rise as publican, is usually skepti-
facility, among other con- catch abusers, it’s not clear with sexually assaulting a (the Department of Fam- cal of regulations and has
ditions. they’re effective at pre- 29-year-old woman who ily Protective Services) was touted his record of rolling
Carole Herman, founder of venting violence, said Brian had a baby boy Dec. 29. able to confirm cases more them back, but the Repub-
the advocacy group Foun- Lee, a former Florida long- Hacienda HealthCare said readily, but since then, the lican has ordered agencies
dation Aiding the Elderly, term care public advocate Thursday that it was clos- rates have fallen,” Car- to improve protections for
is not sure cameras would who heads the advocacy ing the intermediate care rie Williams, a Texas Health people with disabilities.q