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The Minnesota Department of Human Services last week substantiated physical and emotional abuse by a former staff person through American Baptist Homes to a vulnerable adult in April 2024 in Albert Lea.

A report through the Office of Inspector General, Licensing Division, stated the department investigated American Baptist Homes at 1309 Garfield Ave. and 617 E. 10th St., which does business as Crest Services and offers home and community-based services and a community residential setting.

The initial report was that a staff person and a vulnerable adult who lived at the facility had an altercation in the facility’s van, after which the staff person drove to the facility. When they arrived, the vulnerable adult exited the van, and the staff member reportedly tackled the individual, put the person in a chokehold and threatened to kill them. The incident reportedly occurred April 18, 2024.

The Department of Health investigation found on the day in question, the staff person was driving the vulnerable adult and another resident shopping and afterward asked the vulnerable adult if they wanted to make any other stops. The vulnerable adult said they just wanted to go home because they were having a bad day and wanted to be left alone.

The other resident in the vehicle stated the staff person was trying to aggravate the other individual and at one point they hit the staff person in the back of the head, to which the staff person threatened to kill and assault them.

When they arrived back at the facility, everyone got out of the vehicle, and the staff person tackled the vulnerable adult and pushed their shoulders, causing them to fall on the ground. The staff person pushed the individual down to the ground three times and at one point the staff person held down the vulnerable adult as they tried to break free.

The vulnerable adult had several scratches on the neck after the incident.

The staff person did not provide information for the report but had interviewed with a law enforcement officer, contradicting the information from other staff members and the residents.

The report stated the staff person’s actions were inconsistent with the standards of a professional caregiver in a facility licensed by the Department of Human Services and in violation of state statute.

Facility documentation showed the staff person had received training on the Reporting of Maltreatment of Vulnerable Adults Act, on the facility’s policies and on the vulnerable adult’s plans before the incident, and the investigation found that the staff person was responsible for the maltreatment.

It also found the facility completed an internal review and determined that the facility’s policies were adequate but were not followed by the staff person. After the incident, all staff were retrained on the facility’s reporting policies.

The staff person at the center of the incident no longer works at American Baptist Homes.

The Office of Inspector General stated the staff person was not disqualified from providing direct care services as a result of the maltreatment determination; however, if any further substantiated acts of maltreatment are found, they will be disqualified from that work.

A correction order was not issued for the violations for American Baptist Homes because the facility took immediate corrective action.