Investigation: Protecting Disabled Adults

By LU ANN CAHN, ED DRESS and RYAN MAGUIRE

Updated 5:11 PM EDT, Fri, Oct 23, 2009

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Greg Harlen lived in a local care center for mentally and physically disabled adults for 44 years. Last spring, he was taken to the hospital in such bad shape, doctors called the police. Several days later, he died.

Who’s being held accountable and what was so suspicious about his death? Lu Ann Cahn and the NBC10 Investigators tell us more about Greg's case and what could be done to protect other disabled adults.

You can help pass a law that would protect disabled adults like Greg by reading more about Pa. House Bill 1185 and Senate Bill 699.

Then click here to contact your state legislator and tell them to support these bills.

First Published: Oct 22, 2009 9:26 PM EDT

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{"totSize":14,"payload_type":"json","status":"1","results":[{"anonName":null,"pathToMedia":"396494_65701322","adminTags":null,"views":1331,"createdBy":7918844,"createdByPathToPhoto":"116995/icons/defaultMember_116995_portrait.jpg","assocMediaId":2536849,"mediaName":"Investigation: Protecting Disabled Adults","parentThreadId":-1,"mediaId":2536849,"tags":null,"anonSiteUrl":null,"assocMediaType":"externalmedia","createdAt":"23 Oct 2009 03:39:54 GMT","anonEmail":null,"isVisible":true,"approved":true,"numComments":13,"reviewed":true,"createdByUsername":"anonymous_user","pathToPreview":"","mediaType":"EXTERNALMEDIA","commentId":"1117653","subject":"","averageRating":0,"body":"Even though I am blessed to have cognitive ability to manage my lifestyle, I still have fear about ending up in a facility for the disabled. I grew up in a similiar institutionalized facility in the 1970s, and I still have emotional and mental scars from what I witnessed."},{"anonName":null,"pathToMedia":"396494_65701322","adminTags":null,"views":1331,"createdBy":13820673,"createdByPathToPhoto":"116995/icons/defaultMember_116995_portrait.jpg","assocMediaId":2536849,"mediaName":"Investigation: Protecting Disabled Adults","parentThreadId":-1,"mediaId":2536849,"tags":null,"anonSiteUrl":null,"assocMediaType":"externalmedia","createdAt":"23 Oct 2009 15:12:42 GMT","anonEmail":null,"isVisible":true,"approved":true,"numComments":13,"reviewed":true,"createdByUsername":"Garfield","pathToPreview":"","mediaType":"EXTERNALMEDIA","commentId":"1119401","subject":"","averageRating":0,"body":"CK CENTER/DON GUANELLA VILLAGE NEEDS CLEAN-UP! Like many others in our region who know about Greg and he history of the Cardinal Krol Center--at Don Guanella Village...this story hurts deeply. There are still very good people and caring people working there---but the place has been going downhill for many years now. The whole complex was one sparkling and clean...but that is no longer the case. Why they hire so many foreigners who do not speak English well enough--and many of whom are Muslims (in a Catholic Facility) is also a mystery. The administration seems indifferent to the problems and the residents have grown unhappy. When the Priests and Brothers were in charge--it was a far better school--like a family. Now its just a pale reflection of its former existence. The people running the place DO NOT have the core values nor a belief in its original mission--so what are we to expect. I hope this story leads to a cleansing and a rebirth at the C.K. Center and Don Guanella Village as a whole. The can start by just giving the place a good cleaning!!!"},{"anonName":null,"pathToMedia":"396494_65701322","adminTags":null,"views":1331,"createdBy":9384821,"createdByPathToPhoto":"116995/icons/defaultMember_116995_portrait.jpg","assocMediaId":2536849,"mediaName":"Investigation: Protecting Disabled Adults","parentThreadId":-1,"mediaId":2536849,"tags":null,"anonSiteUrl":null,"assocMediaType":"externalmedia","createdAt":"23 Oct 2009 17:32:23 GMT","anonEmail":null,"isVisible":true,"approved":true,"numComments":13,"reviewed":true,"createdByUsername":"funnystuff","pathToPreview":"","mediaType":"EXTERNALMEDIA","commentId":"1120342","subject":"","averageRating":0,"body":"So garfield is it the people running the place or the minorities (foriengers) being hired. Way to be a bigot. How dare a catholic follower cast a dispersion on another religion. Clean up your pedophile mess at the vatican, then you may start throwing your stones."},{"anonName":null,"pathToMedia":"396494_65701322","adminTags":null,"views":1331,"createdBy":10039357,"createdByPathToPhoto":"116995/icons/defaultMember_116995_portrait.jpg","assocMediaId":2536849,"mediaName":"Investigation: Protecting Disabled Adults","parentThreadId":-1,"mediaId":2536849,"tags":null,"anonSiteUrl":null,"assocMediaType":"externalmedia","createdAt":"23 Oct 2009 18:42:29 GMT","anonEmail":null,"isVisible":true,"approved":true,"numComments":13,"reviewed":true,"createdByUsername":"right_center","pathToPreview":"","mediaType":"EXTERNALMEDIA","commentId":"1120933","subject":"","averageRating":0,"body":"I cant believe I am remotely agreeing with un-FunnyStuff, but what can you say in this case... The people hired to take care of these folks are paid less than $10 an hour and have to do deal with some pretty heavy responsibilities in caring for the residents. There is no bearing on the quality of the care based on race or religion!!!!!!!!! Where are the Catholics lining up for these crappy jobs? What are YOU doing? How about volunteering to help on a clean up day--I will meet you there with a broom and a pan....."},{"anonName":null,"pathToMedia":"396494_65701322","adminTags":null,"views":1331,"createdBy":13820673,"createdByPathToPhoto":"116995/icons/defaultMember_116995_portrait.jpg","assocMediaId":2536849,"mediaName":"Investigation: Protecting Disabled Adults","parentThreadId":-1,"mediaId":2536849,"tags":null,"anonSiteUrl":null,"assocMediaType":"externalmedia","createdAt":"23 Oct 2009 22:49:40 GMT","anonEmail":null,"isVisible":true,"approved":true,"numComments":13,"reviewed":true,"createdByUsername":"Garfield","pathToPreview":"","mediaType":"EXTERNALMEDIA","commentId":"1122489","subject":"","averageRating":0,"body":"Dear Funny Stuff: This has nothing to do with bigotry. Many among the special population have a difficult time communicating and understanding as it is...so to subject those cliendt at that school to perons who cannot speak English cleary...shows great insensitivity to them..all in the name of political correctness, I suppose! I have no problem with those who can communicate well. I do however, have issue with Muslims working in any Christian or Catholic facility. It just makes no sense! Can you imagine a Muslim school recruiting Christians to work in one of there facilities--I think not! As for pedofiles in the clergy---as I recall...the Catholic Church is not the only denominaton forced to deal with that issue. I'm with you 100% with you here. They too should be dealt with swiftly and to the fullest extent of the law. The bigger sin here is that they give all the truly Godly clergy--of all faiths a bad name. And yes...those working with this population should, INDEED be offererd a better living wage. What can be more important that caring for another human being with a mental of physical disablity? As for KEEPING THE PLACE CLEAN...that's nothing that a little soap and hot water can't cure. Again, I feel badly for those overthere who are doing a good job. But I know of staff who are not proactive enough or just tuned in enough to prevent incidents like Greg Harlan's injuries which lead to his death! "},{"anonName":null,"pathToMedia":"396494_65701322","adminTags":null,"views":1331,"createdBy":7918844,"createdByPathToPhoto":"116995/icons/defaultMember_116995_portrait.jpg","assocMediaId":2536849,"mediaName":"Investigation: Protecting Disabled Adults","parentThreadId":-1,"mediaId":2536849,"tags":null,"anonSiteUrl":null,"assocMediaType":"externalmedia","createdAt":"23 Oct 2009 23:08:45 GMT","anonEmail":null,"isVisible":true,"approved":true,"numComments":13,"reviewed":true,"createdByUsername":"anonymous_user","pathToPreview":"","mediaType":"EXTERNALMEDIA","commentId":"1122602","subject":"","averageRating":0,"body":"Shame on C.K.Center! I worked with Greg years ago....a sweet, sweet person. C.K. Center was a wonderful HOME for the men it served years ago, but they got rid of everyone who cared for these men like their own brothers! No one there, including the current administration, has the best interest of these men at heart. What a difference 5 years makes! It was a home that turned into a sad, sad institution."},{"anonName":null,"pathToMedia":"396494_65701322","adminTags":null,"views":1331,"createdBy":13832122,"createdByPathToPhoto":"116995/icons/defaultMember_116995_portrait.jpg","assocMediaId":2536849,"mediaName":"Investigation: Protecting Disabled Adults","parentThreadId":-1,"mediaId":2536849,"tags":null,"anonSiteUrl":null,"assocMediaType":"externalmedia","createdAt":"24 Oct 2009 00:09:49 GMT","anonEmail":null,"isVisible":true,"approved":true,"numComments":13,"reviewed":true,"createdByUsername":"fb_1463122752","pathToPreview":"","mediaType":"EXTERNALMEDIA","commentId":"1122882","subject":"","averageRating":0,"body":"This story is heartbreaking. Greg and others living in institutional settings and community living arrangements in PA need to be protected. There are many wonderful, qualified people working with special needs adults however the bad apples in the barrel need to be prohibited from going from agency to agency. My son was abused in his living arrangement and the person responsible is probably working in another agency at this very moment. PA needs to pass a law for Adult Protective Services. If we can have laws to protect animals why can't we have laws to protect adults with intellectual disabilities? "},{"anonName":null,"pathToMedia":"396494_65701322","adminTags":null,"views":1331,"createdBy":13839714,"createdByPathToPhoto":"116995/icons/defaultMember_116995_portrait.jpg","assocMediaId":2536849,"mediaName":"Investigation: Protecting Disabled Adults","parentThreadId":-1,"mediaId":2536849,"tags":null,"anonSiteUrl":null,"assocMediaType":"externalmedia","createdAt":"24 Oct 2009 09:30:40 GMT","anonEmail":null,"isVisible":true,"approved":true,"numComments":13,"reviewed":true,"createdByUsername":"fb_834470463","pathToPreview":"","mediaType":"EXTERNALMEDIA","commentId":"1124246","subject":"","averageRating":0,"body":"I must say I agree with Garfield completely. Very well worded and I in no way found your comment offensive."},{"anonName":null,"pathToMedia":"396494_65701322","adminTags":null,"views":1331,"createdBy":7918844,"createdByPathToPhoto":"116995/icons/defaultMember_116995_portrait.jpg","assocMediaId":2536849,"mediaName":"Investigation: Protecting Disabled Adults","parentThreadId":-1,"mediaId":2536849,"tags":null,"anonSiteUrl":null,"assocMediaType":"externalmedia","createdAt":"24 Oct 2009 23:55:44 GMT","anonEmail":null,"isVisible":true,"approved":true,"numComments":13,"reviewed":true,"createdByUsername":"anonymous_user","pathToPreview":"","mediaType":"EXTERNALMEDIA","commentId":"1126382","subject":"","averageRating":0,"body":"Anonymous is wrong. They did not get rid of the people who cared about these men like their own brothers. Many are still there and are deeply hurt about this horrific report. I will never believe that Greg was assaulted by his caregiver. I do believe Greg suffered a tragic accident and his caregivers were so untrained in recognizing distress and injuries in a developmentally disabled person who had a diagnosis of dementia and was unable to express himself clearly. Or they feared so much that they would lose their job they chose to ignore the situation and tried to blame another shift for the injuries. Unfortunately as someone posted earlier when you pay less than $1o.00 an hour and just hire bodies because you need staff it often backfires. Staff are performing the work typical of a CNA without the training. You get one week of orientation which incorportates all the rights, regulations and policies of the facility, then you get put on the floor to figure the rest out by yourself. People were brought in for jobs, that never had experience working with this population, but they needed a job to stay in this country. I know that may sound prejudicial but it was pretty apparent that some supervisory staff were at one time recruiting their family members to come to this country with a promise that they had work at Cardinal Krol Center. And this does not only happen at Cardinal Krol Center. It is happening at all facilities serving the developmentally disabled. As the saying goes "You get what you pay for." I know Greg is happily in Heaven and I hope that the person or persons responsible are soon found, but I think it is totally unfair to put such a black mark on the Cardinal Krol Center. The residents there are well cared for and for the most part, the staff are dedicated, caring individuals who provide the best of care."},{"anonName":null,"pathToMedia":"396494_65701322","adminTags":null,"views":1331,"createdBy":7918844,"createdByPathToPhoto":"116995/icons/defaultMember_116995_portrait.jpg","assocMediaId":2536849,"mediaName":"Investigation: Protecting Disabled Adults","parentThreadId":-1,"mediaId":2536849,"tags":null,"anonSiteUrl":null,"assocMediaType":"externalmedia","createdAt":"25 Oct 2009 01:21:38 GMT","anonEmail":null,"isVisible":true,"approved":true,"numComments":13,"reviewed":true,"createdByUsername":"anonymous_user","pathToPreview":"","mediaType":"EXTERNALMEDIA","commentId":"1126627","subject":"","averageRating":0,"body":"(I don't know why the rest of my post was deleted but here is where it left off). Or they feared so much that they would lose their jobs they tried to cover it up, ignore the situation and try to place the blame on another shift. Unfortunately as someone said earlier you pay individuals less than $10.00 an hour and many have not had any experience working with this population. It was a matter of hiring quantity not quality. Sad to say a lot were hired because they needed jobs to stay in this country, not because they had experience or a desire to work with developmenally disabled individuals. I know Greg is happily in Heaven and I hope the person or persons involved are soon charged, but I think it is totally unfair to put such a black mark on the facility.There are many caring, dedicated employees who provide top notch care to the residents they serve."}],"error":"","totPages":2}

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