The Henderson City Commission at its Tuesday meeting approved a resolution that requests the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services—or other state agencies—to investigate conditions at Henderson Manor.
The resolution comes days after a Hendersonian article that quoted residents of the facility about its conditions, which included bed bugs living throughout the building as well as other vermin, such as mice. The residents also said in the article that they live in fear of the violence—both physical and verbal—that is commonplace at the facility at 201 Watson Lane.
The resolution asked that the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, Office of the Inspector General and the Kentucky Attorney General’s office and any other appropriate state agency to conduct a comprehensive investigation and inspection of Henderson Manor.
This includes an investigation of the health, safety, sanitation, security and general living conditions of Henderson Manor’s residents, said the resolution.
It also asked that if violations are found to require that corrective actions and enforcement actions are taken to protect the health and safety of the facility’s residents.
Henderson Manor is a privately owned personal care home, which is a facility that takes care of many people who have nowhere else to go. Many are wards of the state. Though privately owned, it, like other personal care homes, are subject to oversight from state agencies.
Henderson Mayor Brad Staton was blunt in his assessment of the facility at Tuesday’s city commission meeting.
“This type of thing seems to be a recurring theme with this particular property,” the mayor said. “It’s not acceptable and it’s not acceptable to be operating in the condition that it’s been operating in for many years in Henderson.
“While the city commission or city government does not have direct authority to cause action… we do have power…and the power is in our voice,” the mayor said.
“In this case, we have got a resolution that is going to go to the inspector general to make sure that the inspector general is aware of our displeasure with how this facility is operating and the conditions that the people have to live in at that facility,” Staton said. “And we expect an immediate investigation and we expect remediation…”
The resolution listed several reasons for the resolution:
- Residents and others have reported serious conditions regarding conditions of the facility, including insect and rodent infestation, as well as other circumstances that may adversely affect the health, safety and welfare of the residents
- There is a need for a thorough review of conditions at the facility
- Many residents of personal care homes, of which Henderson Manor is one, are some of the state’s most vulnerable citizens and depend upon their facility, caregivers and regulatory agencies to ensure that they live in a safe, sanitary and secured environment
- The city commission believes that the seriousness of the concerns being reported warrants a prompt investigation by the appropriate state regulatory authorities and appropriate corrective and enforcement action if violations are found and not remedied appropriately.
The resolution said that the city clerk is directed to transmit a certified copy of the resolution to the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, Office of Inspector General and to the Kentucky Attorney General.
