Report Finds “Code of Silence” at Mental Health Facility Where Staff Abused and Neglected Patients

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Finds “Code of Silence” at Mental Health Facility Where Staff Abused and Neglected Patients', 'authorName': 'Beth Hundsdorfer,Molly Parker', 'seriesName': 'Culture of Cruelty', 'contentRegion': 'Local Reporting Network', 'contentLanguage': 'en', 'craftId' : '1525877', 'articleVersion' : 'V5', 'contentLocation' : 'Illinois', 'storyType': 'legacy', 'impact': "false" }); </script>  <link href="https://assets.propublica.org" rel="preconnect"> <link href="https://assets.propublica.org" rel="dns-prefetch"> <link href="https://img.assets-c3.propublica.org" rel="dns-prefetch"> <link href="https://img.assets-d.propublica.org" rel="dns-prefetch">  <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://assets.propublica.org/static/prod/v5/css/main.becd5983.css">  <link rel="icon" href="https://assets.propublica.org/static/prod/v5/images/favicon.ico"> <link rel="icon" href="https://assets.propublica.org/static/prod/v5/images/icon.min.svg" type="image/svg+xml"> <link rel="apple-touch-icon" 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https://img.assets-d.propublica.org/v5/images/20221111-Choate-OIG-Lead-01.JPG?crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fm=webp&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1088&q=75&w=1450&s=c49365aa1a56935636f340854b5435e8 1450w, https://img.assets-d.propublica.org/v5/images/20221111-Choate-OIG-Lead-01.JPG?crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fm=webp&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1200&q=75&w=1600&s=89ae8da5bb81f26467f53ada932794fa 1600w, https://img.assets-d.propublica.org/v5/images/20221111-Choate-OIG-Lead-01.JPG?crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fm=webp&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1500&q=75&w=2000&s=0d185d9daf353998c0b9a181e159aeb2 2000w" fetchpriority="high" /> <figcaption class="attribution"> <span class="attribution__credit"> <span class="a11y">Credit: </span> Whitney Curtis for ProPublica </span> </figcaption> </figure> <div class="opener__topic-title-dek-wrapper "> <span class="opener__topics "> <a class="opener__topics-link " href="https://www.propublica.org/topics/health-care">Health Care</a> </span> <h1 class="opener__hed " > Report Finds “Code of Silence” at Mental Health Facility Where Staff Abused and Neglected Patients </h1> <h2 class="opener__dek " > A newly released report from an agency watchdog echoes reporting published earlier this year that revealed widespread collusion to cover up misconduct at the Illinois facility. </h2> </div>  </div> <div class="article-meta-1 article-meta-1--left " data-pp-location="article meta"> <span class="article-meta-1__byline" data-pp-location="article byine"> by <span class="name">Beth Hundsdorfer</span>, <a href="https://capitolnewsillinois.com/">Capitol News Illinois</a>, and <span class="name">Molly Parker</span>, <a href="https://thesouthern.com/">Lee Enterprises Midwest</a> </span> <time class="article-meta-1__pubdate"> <time class="timestamp" datetime="2022-11-11EST08:30">Nov. 11, 2022, 8:30 a.m. EST</time> </time> <div class="article-meta-1__section-actions " data-pp-location="article story-tools"> <script type="application/json" class="svelte-config"> 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Illinois</a> </span> </div> <div class="article-body" data-pp-location="article body" > <div class="promo-series size03 out03 wrap left wide-sm | hide-print"> <div class=" promo-series__header stretched-link-contain promo-series__header--has-borders " > <a href="https://www.propublica.org/series/culture-of-cruelty" class="stretched-link"> <img class="promo-series__art" alt="" width="400" height="267" loading="lazy" js-autosizes src="https://img.assets-c3.propublica.org/images/series/Choate-Landing-Page-2x3.jpg?crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fm=webp&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=533&q=75&w=800&s=23007da04bfebea82bb2b1dcbf8aff1f" srcset="https://img.assets-c3.propublica.org/images/series/Choate-Landing-Page-2x3.jpg?crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fm=webp&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=267&q=75&w=400&s=ecfcd6da210d41b91bb5f948ae61f6d3 400w, https://img.assets-c3.propublica.org/images/series/Choate-Landing-Page-2x3.jpg?crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fm=webp&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=533&q=75&w=800&s=23007da04bfebea82bb2b1dcbf8aff1f 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<span class="a11y">Series: </span> <span class="promo-series__title">Culture of Cruelty:</span> <span class="promo-series__tagline">Inside Illinois’ Mental Health System</span> </h3> </div> <a href="https://www.propublica.org/series/culture-of-cruelty" class="promo-series__more-link"> More in this series <div class="icon" style="transform: translateY(10%)"> <svg role="img" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" fill="none" height="16" viewBox="0 0 16 16" width="16"> <title>Caret</title> <path clip-rule="evenodd" d="m9.5858 8.00008-5.29289-5.2929 1.41421-1.41421 6.70708 6.70711-6.70708 6.70712-1.41421-1.4142z" fill="currentColor" fill-rule="evenodd"/> </svg> </div> </a> </div> <div class="article-body__top-notes" data-pp-location="top-note"> <div class="article-body__note article-body__note--co-publish"> <p>This article was produced for ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network in partnership with <a href="https://thesouthern.com">Lee Enterprises</a>, along with <a href="https://capitolnewsillinois.com/">Capitol News Illinois</a>. <a href="https://www.propublica.org/newsletters/dispatches">Sign up for Dispatches</a> to get stories like this one as soon as they are published.</p> </div> </div> <p data-pp-blocktype="copy" data-pp-id="1.0">Several employees at Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center attempted to cover up a brutal assault on a patient, according to a new report by the watchdog office within the Illinois Department of Human Services.</p> <p data-pp-blocktype="copy" data-pp-id="2.0">The report by the IDHS Office of the Inspector General said that the “widespread attempted cover-up” around that incident pointed to a deeply entrenched “code of silence” among some workers.</p> <p data-pp-blocktype="copy" data-pp-id="3.0">The <a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/23294558-allen">OIG report</a> comes after a series of stories by Capitol News Illinois, Lee Enterprises Midwest and ProPublica revealing a <a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/illinois-choate-mental-health-abuse-history">culture of patient abuse</a> and <a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/illinois-choate-mental-health-abuse-911-staff">cover-ups at the state-run facility</a> in rural southern Illinois that serves people with developmental disabilities, mental illnesses or a combination of disorders. The news organizations’ reports detailed the beating of Blaine Reichard in December 2014 and attempts by staff to conceal the abuse; the series also showed how workers accused of abuse allegations seldom face serious consequences for their actions.</p> <p data-pp-blocktype="copy" data-pp-id="4.0">The OIG report, which comes nearly eight years after the attack on Reichard, echoed many of the news organizations’ findings and called on IDHS to do more to protect patients’ safety. The news organizations had sought the report when it was finalized in September under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, but the request was denied until this month.</p> <p data-pp-blocktype="copy" data-pp-id="5.0">Among the most egregious violations, the OIG’s investigation found that mental health technician Mark Allen held Reichard in a chokehold and punched him repeatedly in the face after the two argued, leaving the patient with two black eyes, a busted lip and bruising to his face and upper body. The OIG additionally cited five mental health technicians for neglect after they witnessed the abuse but didn’t seek medical care for the patient or report the abuse to authorities, despite the fact that one of them later told authorities that it looked like Reichard had “gone three rounds with Mike Tyson.”</p> <aside class="bb-ad full | hide-print"> <div class="htlad-inline-2"></div> </aside> <p data-pp-blocktype="copy" data-pp-id="7.0">But the OIG investigation showed that the problem was not confined to a few bad actors. Among the challenges investigators faced when they were called to the scene: One of the mental health technicians initially lied to state police and said he’d been in the bathroom at the time of the abuse. A housekeeper told them she hadn’t seen any blood in Reichard’s room but later acknowledged that she had. A social worker who was romantically involved with Allen leaked information to him about the investigation. And a nurse and doctor gave misleading statements about the extent of Reichard’s injuries, the OIG report said.</p> <p data-pp-blocktype="copy" data-pp-id="8.0">That collusion led the inspector general to find Choate itself negligent. The facility, the OIG said, must be held responsible for “failing to prevent the establishment of a culture in which so many employees chose to protect their fellow employees instead of protecting an abused individual and apparently felt comfortable doing so.”</p> <p data-pp-blocktype="copy" data-pp-id="9.0">The OIG report concluded: “That so many employees participated in the cover-up of the abuse of [the patient] suggests that this type of conduct may be endemic at Choate.” Previous reporting by the news organizations revealed credible abuse allegations in which the state’s attorney declined to bring charges because he said that employees would not cooperate in determining what happened.</p> <figure data-pp-id="10" data-pp-blocktype="image" class="bb-image size10 center wide-sm wrap "> <img class="" alt="" width="2153" height="358" loading="lazy" js-autosizes src="https://img.assets-d.propublica.org/v5/images/20221110-OIG-Findings-Document.png?crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fm=webp&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=133&q=80&w=800&s=5b87580ead7737ec9a853001621454f4" srcset="https://img.assets-d.propublica.org/v5/images/20221110-OIG-Findings-Document.png?crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fm=webp&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=67&q=80&w=400&s=5ac0018da2d5d0a769fa6b9d5b039375 400w, https://img.assets-d.propublica.org/v5/images/20221110-OIG-Findings-Document.png?crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fm=webp&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=133&q=80&w=800&s=5b87580ead7737ec9a853001621454f4 800w, https://img.assets-d.propublica.org/v5/images/20221110-OIG-Findings-Document.png?crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fm=webp&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=200&q=80&w=1200&s=4c37ec3f26b7f1d2fb415f8298a095bd 1200w, https://img.assets-d.propublica.org/v5/images/20221110-OIG-Findings-Document.png?crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fm=webp&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=216&q=80&w=1300&s=c955bd54c70806e3eef49f0025751727 1300w, https://img.assets-d.propublica.org/v5/images/20221110-OIG-Findings-Document.png?crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fm=webp&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=241&q=80&w=1450&s=51a0d822f66f0292790a2e568a27d7c6 1450w, https://img.assets-d.propublica.org/v5/images/20221110-OIG-Findings-Document.png?crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fm=webp&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=266&q=80&w=1600&s=53368814b5614a68956955d759ad12e7 1600w, https://img.assets-d.propublica.org/v5/images/20221110-OIG-Findings-Document.png?crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fm=webp&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=333&q=80&w=2000&s=5d3f8430695751ae03517b388dc33dae 2000w" /> <figcaption class="attribution"> <span class="attribution__caption">An excerpt from the “Recommendations” section of the Illinois Department of Human Services inspector general’s report calling for employees who impede investigations to be held responsible.</span> <span class="attribution__credit"> <span class="a11y">Credit: </span> Source: OIG Report obtained by Capitol News Illinois </span> </figcaption> </figure> <p data-pp-blocktype="copy" data-pp-id="11.0">The OIG report said that it is “crucial” that when staff lie or withhold information in an investigation, they “experience consequences for their actions” — and that one of the best ways to identify such conspiracies is by using video footage. The watchdog recommended the installation of interior security cameras at Choate in order to break the code of silence “from the onset.”</p> <p data-pp-blocktype="copy" data-pp-id="13.0">In the Reichard case, more than a year passed before anyone was arrested in connection with the beating. In 2016, Allen was charged with felony battery and intimidation, and three others — Curt Ellis, Eric Bittle and Justin Butler — were charged with felony obstruction of justice. All ultimately accepted plea deals for reduced charges: Allen was convicted of felony obstruction of justice for lying to the police, and the others were convicted of failing to report the abuse, a misdemeanor.</p> <p data-pp-blocktype="copy" data-pp-id="14.0">But no one was held criminally responsible for abusing Reichard and no one served prison time.</p> <aside class="bb-ad full | hide-print"> <div class="htlad-inline-2"></div> </aside> <p data-pp-blocktype="copy" data-pp-id="16.0">Reporting by the news organizations also showed that Allen continued to be paid for a full year after the attack, up until he was criminally charged. He has been suspended without pay since then and resigned in early October, a department spokesperson said.</p> <p data-pp-blocktype="copy" data-pp-id="17.0">But the other three had never missed a state paycheck until they were suspended pending termination last week in the wake of the OIG report finding them negligent. The state has paid them, collectively, in excess of $1 million since Reichard’s attack. Initially, they were assigned to duties away from patients, such as lawn care, cooking and laundry; later, they were sent home on administrative leave.</p> <p data-pp-blocktype="copy" data-pp-id="18.0">In addition to the OIG findings against those who faced criminal charges, the report cited two other employees for neglect — Christopher Lingle and John “Mike” Dickerson; the report concluded that both witnessed the abuse and didn’t intervene or report it. Lingle continued to work until earlier this year and is now suspended without pay pending termination. Dickerson worked at the facility until he retired in 2017. In his last three years on the job, he mowed the lawns at Choate.</p> <p data-pp-blocktype="copy" data-pp-id="19.0">In a statement, IDHS spokesperson Marisa Kollias said that all of the employees named in the report had either resigned or were suspended pending discharge following the conclusion of the OIG investigation in September. She previously said that IDHS could not take disciplinary action against the employees until the conclusion of OIG’s case. That investigation was held up for eight years awaiting the resolution of Allen’s court case, which concluded last December.</p> <aside data-pp-id="20" data-pp-blocktype="promo" data-pp-location="story promo" dir="ltr" class="bb-promo-story story-promo-group size04 right out02 wide-sm wrap | hide-print" > <div class="story-promo-group__logo user-level--0__show user-level--1__show"> <svg role="img" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 574.24 75" fill="currentColor"> <title>ProPublica</title> <path d="M66.4,13.48,66,14.91l6.23,11.45,1.15.47L75,26.29V75H50.95A41.2,41.2,0,0,0,62.13,46.88a40.61,40.61,0,0,0-3.39-16.26,45.17,45.17,0,0,1,7.79-4.95l1.69-.2.14-.41L65,18.83H64.5l-.88,1.29c-2.91,1.9-4.67,2.3-8.54,3.79A41.35,41.35,0,0,0,20.46,5.42,39.87,39.87,0,0,0,0,10.91V0H75V8.81ZM57.32,47A37.54,37.54,0,0,1,44.65,75H0V16A37,37,0,0,1,57.32,47ZM43.7,37.06c0-8.13-6-12-17.75-12H7.18v3.66l4.2.95V62.2l-4.2.95v3.73H27.85V63.14l-7.18-.95V50.14h5.15C37.26,50.14,43.7,45.53,43.7,37.06Zm-9.76.27c0,5.15-2.78,8.33-7.25,8.33h-6V29.47H27C31.37,29.47,33.94,32.32,33.94,37.33Z"/><path d="M116.53,60.07l9.15,1.08v4.2H99.39v-4.2l5.28-1.36v-44l-5.28-1.36V10.41H123c15.31,0,22.9,5.28,22.9,16.13,0,11.18-8.33,17.41-23.1,17.41h-6.3Zm0-21.14h6.84c6.44,0,10.5-4.61,10.5-12.06,0-7.18-3.73-11.45-10.09-11.45h-7.25Z"/><path d="M200.74,61.15v4.2H185.9l-16-20.6h-2.51v15l5.28,1.36v4.2H150.27v-4.2l5.28-1.36V23.35l-5-1.36V17.93H175.2c10.5,0,17.55,5.08,17.55,12.67,0,8.4-5.76,12.2-11,13.55l13.48,15.79ZM167.41,39.74h4.47c5.76,0,8.81-3.18,8.81-8.88,0-5.35-2.85-7.93-8.81-7.93h-4.47Z"/><path d="M199.59,41.64c0-14.77,9.82-24.73,25.68-24.73s25.68,10,25.68,24.73-9.82,24.73-25.68,24.73S199.59,56.48,199.59,41.64Zm38.89,0c0-9.69-3.25-19.17-13.21-19.17S212.05,32,212.05,41.64s3.25,19.17,13.21,19.17S238.48,51.33,238.48,41.64Z"/><path d="M270.79,60.07l9.15,1.08v4.2H253.31v-4.2l5.62-1.36v-44l-5.62-1.36V10.41h24c15.31,0,22.9,5.28,22.9,16.13,0,11.18-8.33,17.41-23.1,17.41h-6.3Zm0-21.14h6.84c6.44,0,10.5-4.61,10.5-12.06,0-7.18-3.73-11.45-10.1-11.45h-7.25Z"/><path d="M354.26,22l-4.95,1.36V47c0,12.87-7.79,19.38-20.05,19.38-13.62,0-20.73-7.86-20.73-20v-23L303.58,22V17.93h22V22l-5.08,1.36V47.74c0,7.25,4.34,12.06,11.45,12.06,6.84,0,11.25-4.47,11.25-11.31V23.35L338.14,22V17.93h16.12Z"/><path d="M403.85,52.21c0,8.88-7.11,13.14-22,13.14H357.58v-4.2l5.56-1.36V23.35L358.26,22V17.93h23.92c12.6,0,19.51,3.79,19.51,11.72,0,6.17-4.06,9.08-10.91,9.89v.27C399.31,40.76,403.85,45.1,403.85,52.21ZM375,38.32h5.76c6.1,0,9-2.78,9-7.79,0-5.22-3.12-7.59-9-7.59H375Zm16.8,13.41c0-5.62-3.79-8.67-11.25-8.67H375V60.34h6.64C388.07,60.34,391.79,57.29,391.79,51.74Z"/><path d="M451.07,48.62l-4.4,16.73H408v-4.2l5.28-1.36V23.35L407.65,22V17.93h22.76V22l-5.28,1.36v37l14.16-.81L447,47.26Z"/><path d="M475.4,61.15v4.2H453v-4.2l5.28-1.36V23.35L453,22V17.93H475.4V22l-5.28,1.36V59.8Z"/><path d="M478,41.78c0-15.85,12.13-24.86,27-24.86a35.6,35.6,0,0,1,18.29,5.15l-2,13.21h-4.2l-1.69-9.08a13.23,13.23,0,0,0-10.09-4.13c-9.15,0-14.7,6.57-14.7,18.22,0,13.21,6.84,19.31,15.24,19.31,6.17,0,10.23-3.39,13.41-9.55l4.27,2c-4.27,10-11.65,14.36-21.07,14.36C488.4,66.37,478,56.48,478,41.78Z"/><path d="M574.24,61.15v4.2H551.48v-4.2L557,60l-2.85-8.13h-16.6l-3.12,8.2,5.42,1.15-.07,4.2-16.53-.07v-4.2l4.27-1.08,14.9-37.33-4-1.29V17.93h13.69L569.3,60Zm-27.57-31-.47-1.56-.47,1.56-6.23,16.73h12.94Z"/> </svg> </div> <div class="user-level--2__show user-level--3__show"> <div class="lead-in"> <p class="lead-in__title" id="read-more">Read More</p> </div> </div> <a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/illinois-choate-mental-health-abuse-beatings" class="story-promo section-articles" > <div class="story-promo__art"> <img class="lazyload" alt="" src="data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%271%27%20height%3D%271%27%20style%3D%27background%3Atransparent%27%2F%3E" width="75" height="75" data-sizes="auto" data-srcset="https://img.assets-d.propublica.org/v5/images/20220901-Choate-1-Lead_2022-09-01-203753_sjfo.jpg?crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.8109&fp-y=0.3603&h=75&q=70&w=75&s=5f34f0fdd7b98b3c06579a490bb6b067 75w, https://img.assets-d.propublica.org/v5/images/20220901-Choate-1-Lead_2022-09-01-203753_sjfo.jpg?crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.8109&fp-y=0.3603&h=150&q=70&w=150&s=b5775f1f9c8243e01723c3df2deb4a3c 150w, https://img.assets-d.propublica.org/v5/images/20220901-Choate-1-Lead_2022-09-01-203753_sjfo.jpg?crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.8109&fp-y=0.3603&h=400&q=70&w=400&s=d3ef0f13450390742fdd3ca79297c7ff 400w" /> </div> <div class="story-promo__info" dir="auto"> <strong class="story-promo__hed">A Disabled Young Patient Was Sent to Get Treatment. He Was Abused Instead. And He Wasn’t the Last.</strong> </div> </a> <a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/illinois-choate-mental-health-abuse-history" class="story-promo section-articles" > <div class="story-promo__art"> <img class="lazyload" alt="" src="data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%271%27%20height%3D%271%27%20style%3D%27background%3Atransparent%27%2F%3E" width="75" height="75" data-sizes="auto" data-srcset="https://img.assets-d.propublica.org/v5/images/20220902-Choat-1A-Lead_2022-09-01-203853_pilb.jpg?crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.6973&fp-y=0.4571&h=75&q=70&w=75&s=25b7a69e1082ce783065f1a1a383027d 75w, https://img.assets-d.propublica.org/v5/images/20220902-Choat-1A-Lead_2022-09-01-203853_pilb.jpg?crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.6973&fp-y=0.4571&h=150&q=70&w=150&s=5a1043c2fc1cb2aec8c526d3ff5f0cd7 150w, https://img.assets-d.propublica.org/v5/images/20220902-Choat-1A-Lead_2022-09-01-203853_pilb.jpg?crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.6973&fp-y=0.4571&h=400&q=70&w=400&s=2039d00a4024e690f6f645e7db8e4fb0 400w" /> </div> <div class="story-promo__info" dir="auto"> <strong class="story-promo__hed">At a Remote Mental Health Facility, a Culture of Cruelty Persists Despite Decades of Warnings</strong> </div> </a> <a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/illinois-choate-mental-health-abuse-911-staff" class="story-promo section-articles" > <div class="story-promo__art"> <img class="lazyload" alt="" src="data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%271%27%20height%3D%271%27%20style%3D%27background%3Atransparent%27%2F%3E" width="75" height="75" data-sizes="auto" data-srcset="https://img.assets-d.propublica.org/v5/images/20221010-Choate-Story-3-Lead.jpg?crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.3125&fp-y=0.4128&h=75&q=70&w=75&s=dcdca41cf5fc523e105990e4b701eed7 75w, https://img.assets-d.propublica.org/v5/images/20221010-Choate-Story-3-Lead.jpg?crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.3125&fp-y=0.4128&h=150&q=70&w=150&s=536e6ebbe1daccbf43253654813e2f75 150w, https://img.assets-d.propublica.org/v5/images/20221010-Choate-Story-3-Lead.jpg?crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.3125&fp-y=0.4128&h=400&q=70&w=400&s=f651c4ccbbba42304c9a2fb31e34a447 400w" /> </div> <div class="story-promo__info" dir="auto"> <strong class="story-promo__hed">Chilling Audio Provides Rare Glimpse Into Abuse at Troubled Illinois Residential Facility</strong> </div> </a> </aside> <p data-pp-blocktype="copy" data-pp-id="21.0">Allen could not be reached for comment. A spokesperson for the union who represents the other employees named in the case did not respond to an email seeking information about their employment status. When reporters reached out to them for an <a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/illinois-choate-mental-health-abuse-beatings">earlier article about the incident</a>, Butler, Bittle, Ellis and Dickerson did not respond to requests to comment. Lingle, who was not named in the prior story, did not respond to a message sent via Facebook this week.</p> <p data-pp-blocktype="copy" data-pp-id="22.0">Kollias also said that in the eight years since the case began, “additional safeguards have been put in place to protect residents, patients and staff from harm.” Those changes include bringing in Equip for Equality, a legal advocacy organization, to monitor conditions inside the unit, setting up training on the reporting of abuse and neglect, beefing up the security and professional staff at Choate and installing security cameras — something the OIG has called for more than 20 times over the past five years. (This week, the IDHS spokesperson said the department has 39 cameras and plans to begin installing them this month.)</p> <p data-pp-blocktype="copy" data-pp-id="23.0">Despite OIG’s call for more serious consequences for employees who impede abuse investigations, the report stopped short of issuing more serious findings against the mental health technicians that would have prohibited those staffers from seeking employment in a different health care setting such as a hospital, nursing home or veterans home.</p> <p data-pp-blocktype="copy" data-pp-id="24.0">State law requires that the OIG report the names of any employees it cites for abuse or “egregious neglect” to the <a href="https://hcwrpub.dph.illinois.gov/SearchResults.aspx?ps=0%7Cmark%7C%7Callen">Illinois Department of Public Health’s Health Care Worker Registry.</a> Under that law, Allen will be reported to the registry but the others will not.</p> <p data-pp-blocktype="copy" data-pp-id="25.0">Stacey Aschemann, a vice president with Equip for Equality, said the fact that these workers are not prohibited from future employment with vulnerable populations is “very troubling.” Peter Neumer, IDHS’ inspector general, said it is his office’s general policy not to comment on specific details of its investigations or its decision-making process.</p> <p data-pp-blocktype="copy" data-pp-id="26.0">Aschemann, an attorney, said it is evident from the report that the OIG felt constrained by the current regulatory language. The report stated that the behavior of the workers who witnessed the abuse was “profoundly troubling” but did not fit the legal definition of “egregious” because Allen, not the other technicians, was directly responsible for the injuries, and because the other technicians’ failure to report the abuse did not result in the patient’s death or a serious deterioration in his physical condition.</p> <p data-pp-blocktype="copy" data-pp-id="27.0">Though he declined to comment directly on the case, Neumer signaled that legislative action may be needed. “OIG,” he said, “is prepared to collaborate on and advocate for policy changes to further deter employees from engaging in ‘code of silence’-type behavior.”</p> <aside class="bb-ad full | hide-print"> <div class="htlad-inline-2"></div> </aside> <p data-pp-blocktype="copy" data-pp-id="29.0">Aschemann was more direct, saying that Illinois lawmakers should address shortcomings in the laws governing conduct standards for direct-care workers.</p> <p data-pp-blocktype="copy" data-pp-id="30.0">”It is clear that laws need to be updated to both impose harsher penalties for this misconduct and to ensure that employees who turn a blind eye to the well-being of the people they are paid to help are reported to the Illinois Health Care Worker Registry as ineligible to work in health care settings,” she said.</p> </div> <footer class="article-footer" data-pp-location="article footer"> <div class="topics-list | hide-print"> <p class="topics-list__label"><strong>Filed under —</strong></p> <ul class="topics-list__group"> <li class="topics-list__topic"> <a class="topics-list__topic-link" href="https://www.propublica.org/topics/health-care">Health Care</a> </li> <li class="topics-list__topic"> <a class="topics-list__topic-link" href="https://www.propublica.org/topics/mental-health">Mental Health</a> </li> </ul> </div> <div class="rich-byline-group"> </div>  </footer> </article> <div class="post-article" data-pp-location="post-article"> </div> </main> <script type="application/json" class="svelte-config"> {"componentName":"ArticlePageSectionMoreInTopic","props":{"title":"More in Health Care","url":"https://www.propublica.org/topics/health-care"},"contextArray":[]} </script> <div class="article-page-section-recirc | hide-print svelte-hrgjoc" data-pp-location="recirc more in topic"><div class="article-page-section-recirc__content svelte-hrgjoc"> <div class="page-section svelte-8uolrw"><strong class="page-section__heading svelte-8uolrw"><a href="https://www.propublica.org/topics/health-care" class="link-style--no-decoration link-style--hover-underline svelte-8uolrw">More in Health Care</a> <div class="icon svelte-8uolrw"><svg role="img" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" fill="none" height="16" viewBox="0 0 16 16" width="16"><title>Caret</title><path clip-rule="evenodd" d="m9.5858 8.00008-5.29289-5.2929 1.41421-1.41421 6.70708 6.70711-6.70708 6.70712-1.41421-1.4142z" fill="currentColor" fill-rule="evenodd"></path></svg></div></strong> <div class="page-section__container page-section__container--full-below-xl svelte-8uolrw page-section__container--scroll-snap stack stack--row stack--spacing-gutter"> <div class="story-card story-card--standard"> <div class="lead-art"> <a class="aspect-3-2" href="https://www.propublica.org/article/thomas-weiner-montana-medical-board-renewed-st-peters-hospital"> <img alt="" src="data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%273%27%20height%3D%272%27%20style%3D%27background%3Atransparent%27%2F%3E" srcset="https://img.assets-d.propublica.org/v5/images/LJohns_WeinerStory-47_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_quality_95_embedColorProfile_true.jpg?crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fm=webp&fp-x=0.3989&fp-y=0.3095&h=267&q=75&w=400&s=d168ac9605b61c7615d9472d8e0ce438 400w, https://img.assets-d.propublica.org/v5/images/LJohns_WeinerStory-47_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_quality_95_embedColorProfile_true.jpg?crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fm=webp&fp-x=0.3989&fp-y=0.3095&h=533&q=75&w=800&s=f04022ba86b3b819a26add6052240c8f 800w, https://img.assets-d.propublica.org/v5/images/LJohns_WeinerStory-47_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_quality_95_embedColorProfile_true.jpg?crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fm=webp&fp-x=0.3989&fp-y=0.3095&h=800&q=75&w=1200&s=91fcc8cb7b2184727360e43726ed3b65 1200w, https://img.assets-d.propublica.org/v5/images/LJohns_WeinerStory-47_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_quality_95_embedColorProfile_true.jpg?crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fm=webp&fp-x=0.3989&fp-y=0.3095&h=1067&q=75&w=1600&s=27e9edc33d72e366f1293387fb4bb69c 1600w" width="400" height="267" loading="lazy" js-autosizes /> </a> </div> <div class="story-card__description"> <h3 class="story-card__hed" > <a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/thomas-weiner-montana-medical-board-renewed-st-peters-hospital"> The State Medical Board Has Evidence This Doctor Was Hurting Patients. It Renewed His License — Twice. </a> </h3> <p class="story-card__dek" > The Montana hospital that fired Dr. Thomas C. Weiner turned over thousands of pages of documents, but members of the board say they were unaware of them. </p> <p class="story-card__byline"> <span class="story-card__byline-author"> by <a class="name" href="https://www.propublica.org/people/j-david-mcswane">J. 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Three Moms Tell Their Stories in a New Documentary. </a> </h3> <p class="story-card__dek" > More than 20,000 stillbirths occur in the U.S. each year, but 1 in 4 may be preventable. “Before a Breath” sheds light on three mothers fighting to change those statistics. </p> <p class="story-card__byline"> <span class="story-card__byline-author"> by <a class="name" href="https://www.propublica.org/people/nadia-sussman">Nadia Sussman</a>, <a class="name" href="https://www.propublica.org/people/liz-moughon">Liz Moughon</a>, <a class="name" href="https://www.propublica.org/people/duaa-eldeib">Duaa Eldeib</a>, <a class="name" href="https://www.propublica.org/people/margaret-cheatham-williams">Margaret Cheatham Williams</a> and <a class="name" href="https://www.propublica.org/people/lisa-riordan-seville">Lisa Riordan Seville</a>, </span> <span class="story-card__byline-dateline"> <time class="timestamp" datetime="2025-03-20EDT08:00">March 20, 2025, 8 a.m. EDT</time> </span> </p> </div> </div> <div class="story-card story-card--standard"> <div class="lead-art"> <a class="aspect-3-2" href="https://www.propublica.org/article/glenmark-pharmaceuticals-recalls-fda-inspection"> <img alt="" src="data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%273%27%20height%3D%272%27%20style%3D%27background%3Atransparent%27%2F%3E" srcset="https://img.assets-d.propublica.org/v5/images/fda-glenmark-folo_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_quality_95_embedColorProfile_true-1.jpg?crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fm=webp&fp-x=0.9229&fp-y=0.6626&h=267&q=75&w=400&s=6ed4a5da21cf205785332f452fdd185d 400w, https://img.assets-d.propublica.org/v5/images/fda-glenmark-folo_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_quality_95_embedColorProfile_true-1.jpg?crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fm=webp&fp-x=0.9229&fp-y=0.6626&h=533&q=75&w=800&s=4f8766eade447d0dd8cb249896a3cfb3 800w, https://img.assets-d.propublica.org/v5/images/fda-glenmark-folo_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_quality_95_embedColorProfile_true-1.jpg?crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fm=webp&fp-x=0.9229&fp-y=0.6626&h=800&q=75&w=1200&s=48b61caae07fb9b77b8451aea8983f89 1200w, https://img.assets-d.propublica.org/v5/images/fda-glenmark-folo_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_quality_95_embedColorProfile_true-1.jpg?crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fm=webp&fp-x=0.9229&fp-y=0.6626&h=1067&q=75&w=1600&s=277470649a636e3267c3b831eb8127d5 1600w" width="400" height="267" loading="lazy" js-autosizes /> </a> </div> <div class="story-card__description"> <h3 class="story-card__hed" > <a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/glenmark-pharmaceuticals-recalls-fda-inspection"> The FDA Finally Visited an Indian Drug Factory Linked to U.S. Deaths. It Found Problems. </a> </h3> <p class="story-card__dek" > The inspection comes after a ProPublica investigation revealed that drugs made at the Glenmark Pharmaceuticals plant accounted for an outsized share of U.S. recalls for pills that didn’t dissolve properly and could harm people. </p> <p class="story-card__byline"> <span class="story-card__byline-author"> by <a class="name" href="https://www.propublica.org/people/patricia-callahan">Patricia Callahan</a>, </span> <span class="story-card__byline-dateline"> <time class="timestamp" datetime="2025-03-20EDT06:00">March 20, 2025, 6 a.m. EDT</time> </span> </p> </div> </div> <div class="story-card story-card--standard"> <div class="lead-art"> <a class="aspect-3-2" href="https://www.propublica.org/article/st-lukes-hospital-idaho-abortion-ban"> <img alt="" src="data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%273%27%20height%3D%272%27%20style%3D%27background%3Atransparent%27%2F%3E" srcset="https://img.assets-d.propublica.org/v5/images/20250307-gordon-st-lukes-controversies-3x2-72dpi.jpg?crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fm=webp&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=267&q=75&w=400&s=d54e156c324ce494fb90b15e9cd7b55f 400w, https://img.assets-d.propublica.org/v5/images/20250307-gordon-st-lukes-controversies-3x2-72dpi.jpg?crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fm=webp&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=533&q=75&w=800&s=f81ef05460f2961b0dcf490024158079 800w, https://img.assets-d.propublica.org/v5/images/20250307-gordon-st-lukes-controversies-3x2-72dpi.jpg?crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fm=webp&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=800&q=75&w=1200&s=b606fedb0c02ca91b49edca233ee2dff 1200w, https://img.assets-d.propublica.org/v5/images/20250307-gordon-st-lukes-controversies-3x2-72dpi.jpg?crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fm=webp&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1067&q=75&w=1600&s=4716e5cac1155adff34aec448001ec61 1600w" width="400" height="267" loading="lazy" js-autosizes /> </a> </div> <div class="story-card__description"> <h3 class="story-card__hed" > <a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/st-lukes-hospital-idaho-abortion-ban"> This Hospital System Fought COVID, Then a Far-Right Leader. Now It’s Taking on Idaho’s Abortion Ban. </a> </h3> <p class="story-card__dek" > St. Luke’s, Idaho’s largest health system, was outspoken in defending its staff during a backlash against masks and vaccines. It also sued right-wing figure Ammon Bundy — and won. Now it’s backing its doctors on the abortion front. </p> <p class="story-card__byline"> <span class="story-card__byline-author"> by <a class="name" href="https://www.propublica.org/people/audrey-dutton">Audrey Dutton</a>, ProPublica, and <span class="name">Kelcie Moseley-Morris</span>, <a href="https://statesnewsroom.com/">States Newsroom</a>, </span> <span class="story-card__byline-dateline"> <time class="timestamp" datetime="2025-03-12EDT05:00">March 12, 2025, 5 a.m. EDT</time> </span> </p> </div> </div> <div class="story-card story-card--standard"> <div class="lead-art"> <a class="aspect-3-2" href="https://www.propublica.org/article/lincare-wrongful-death-lawsuit-sleep-apnea-oxygen"> <img alt="" src="data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%273%27%20height%3D%272%27%20style%3D%27background%3Atransparent%27%2F%3E" srcset="https://img.assets-d.propublica.org/v5/images/Big-Oxygen-Death-Lawsuit-Promo.jpg?crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fm=webp&fp-x=0.5011&fp-y=0.3409&h=267&q=75&w=400&s=a1295b163e7c00ddbf2288320123d82b 400w, https://img.assets-d.propublica.org/v5/images/Big-Oxygen-Death-Lawsuit-Promo.jpg?crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fm=webp&fp-x=0.5011&fp-y=0.3409&h=533&q=75&w=800&s=d0620e9a1574415bc96a382b9f8cf579 800w, https://img.assets-d.propublica.org/v5/images/Big-Oxygen-Death-Lawsuit-Promo.jpg?crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fm=webp&fp-x=0.5011&fp-y=0.3409&h=800&q=75&w=1200&s=f8d28da5112952e88b044fefd6abfc66 1200w, https://img.assets-d.propublica.org/v5/images/Big-Oxygen-Death-Lawsuit-Promo.jpg?crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fm=webp&fp-x=0.5011&fp-y=0.3409&h=1067&q=75&w=1600&s=8af3d22a189b91c8ba90c3c4984d90c4 1600w" width="400" height="267" loading="lazy" js-autosizes /> </a> </div> <div class="story-card__description"> <h3 class="story-card__hed" > <a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/lincare-wrongful-death-lawsuit-sleep-apnea-oxygen"> What a Wrongful Death Lawsuit Reveals About America’s Largest Oxygen Provider </a> </h3> <p class="story-card__dek" > When an at-risk sleep apnea patient needed his breathing machine replaced, Lincare, a $2.4 billion behemoth with a decadeslong history of regulatory and legal problems, acted slowly. The result was disastrous. </p> <p class="story-card__byline"> <span class="story-card__byline-author"> by <a class="name" href="https://www.propublica.org/people/peter-elkind">Peter Elkind</a>, </span> <span class="story-card__byline-dateline"> <time class="timestamp" datetime="2025-03-10EDT06:00">March 10, 2025, 6 a.m. EDT</time> </span> </p> </div> </div> <div class="story-card story-card--standard"> <div class="lead-art"> <a class="aspect-3-2" href="https://www.propublica.org/article/missouri-pregnancy-resource-centers-anti-abortion-tax-credit-bill"> <img alt="" src="data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%273%27%20height%3D%272%27%20style%3D%27background%3Atransparent%27%2F%3E" srcset="https://img.assets-d.propublica.org/v5/images/MO-Abortion-SB681-v2_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_quality_95_embedColorProfile_true.jpg?crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fm=webp&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=267&q=75&w=400&s=04698f4436ecdb36c69f7be1236d8847 400w, https://img.assets-d.propublica.org/v5/images/MO-Abortion-SB681-v2_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_quality_95_embedColorProfile_true.jpg?crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fm=webp&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=533&q=75&w=800&s=69ce7846eae881790981e5fd4952dd9f 800w, https://img.assets-d.propublica.org/v5/images/MO-Abortion-SB681-v2_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_quality_95_embedColorProfile_true.jpg?crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fm=webp&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=800&q=75&w=1200&s=818d9bf6e4fe74e4d375964259ef0727 1200w, https://img.assets-d.propublica.org/v5/images/MO-Abortion-SB681-v2_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_quality_95_embedColorProfile_true.jpg?crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fm=webp&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1067&q=75&w=1600&s=fcec0e7990ea5107e4de5c196a0ca578 1600w" width="400" height="267" loading="lazy" js-autosizes /> </a> </div> <div class="story-card__description"> <h3 class="story-card__hed" > <a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/missouri-pregnancy-resource-centers-anti-abortion-tax-credit-bill"> A New Missouri Bill Would Let Residents Donate to Anti-Abortion Centers Instead of Paying Any Taxes </a> </h3> <p class="story-card__dek" > Four months after Missouri voted to legalize abortion, Republican lawmakers are proposing a 100% tax credit — capped at $50,000 per year — for taxpayers who donate to crisis pregnancy centers. </p> <p class="story-card__byline"> <span class="story-card__byline-author"> by <a class="name" href="https://www.propublica.org/people/jeremy-kohler">Jeremy Kohler</a>, </span> <span class="story-card__byline-dateline"> <time class="timestamp" datetime="2025-03-05EST05:00">March 5, 2025, 5 a.m. EST</time> </span> </p> </div> </div> </div> </div></div> </div>  <div class="most-read | hide-print" data-pp-location="most read"> <strong class="most-read__heading">Most Read</strong> <ol class="most-read-group"> <div class="most-read-story"> <div class="story-card story-card--standard"> <div class="lead-art"> <a class="aspect-3-2" href="https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-irs-firings-doge-fraud-law-job-performance"> <img alt="" src="data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%273%27%20height%3D%272%27%20style%3D%27background%3Atransparent%27%2F%3E" srcset="https://img.assets-d.propublica.org/v5/images/GettyImages-2200021508.jpg?crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fm=webp&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=267&q=75&w=400&s=bc8451fddd12b7129d14f69e3332177e 400w, https://img.assets-d.propublica.org/v5/images/GettyImages-2200021508.jpg?crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fm=webp&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=533&q=75&w=800&s=2f25bb4736dc9f8244ee130b6808068e 800w, https://img.assets-d.propublica.org/v5/images/GettyImages-2200021508.jpg?crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fm=webp&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=800&q=75&w=1200&s=f4b282e72b1913f2c90a4a82e2509899 1200w, https://img.assets-d.propublica.org/v5/images/GettyImages-2200021508.jpg?crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fm=webp&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1067&q=75&w=1600&s=02a96ae917f3010c7f220dd22759de5f 1600w" width="400" height="267" loading="lazy" js-autosizes /> </a> </div> <div class="story-card__description"> <h3 class="story-card__hed" > <a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-irs-firings-doge-fraud-law-job-performance"> Emails Reveal Top IRS Lawyer Warned Trump Firings Were a “Fraud” on the Courts </a> </h3> <p class="story-card__dek" > The Trump administration cited “performance” failures to justify its mass firing of IRS workers. But this claim was “false,” a senior agency attorney warned officials, because the administration had not conducted any such performance assessment. </p> <p class="story-card__byline"> <span class="story-card__byline-author"> by <a class="name" href="https://www.propublica.org/people/andy-kroll">Andy Kroll</a>, </span> <span class="story-card__byline-dateline"> <time class="timestamp" datetime="2025-03-19EDT05:00">March 19, 2025, 5 a.m. EDT</time> </span> </p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="most-read-story"> <div class="story-card story-card--standard"> <div class="lead-art"> <a class="aspect-3-2" href="https://www.propublica.org/article/thomas-weiner-montana-medical-board-renewed-st-peters-hospital"> <img alt="" src="data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%273%27%20height%3D%272%27%20style%3D%27background%3Atransparent%27%2F%3E" srcset="https://img.assets-d.propublica.org/v5/images/LJohns_WeinerStory-47_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_quality_95_embedColorProfile_true.jpg?crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fm=webp&fp-x=0.3989&fp-y=0.3095&h=267&q=75&w=400&s=d168ac9605b61c7615d9472d8e0ce438 400w, https://img.assets-d.propublica.org/v5/images/LJohns_WeinerStory-47_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_quality_95_embedColorProfile_true.jpg?crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fm=webp&fp-x=0.3989&fp-y=0.3095&h=533&q=75&w=800&s=f04022ba86b3b819a26add6052240c8f 800w, https://img.assets-d.propublica.org/v5/images/LJohns_WeinerStory-47_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_quality_95_embedColorProfile_true.jpg?crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fm=webp&fp-x=0.3989&fp-y=0.3095&h=800&q=75&w=1200&s=91fcc8cb7b2184727360e43726ed3b65 1200w, https://img.assets-d.propublica.org/v5/images/LJohns_WeinerStory-47_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_quality_95_embedColorProfile_true.jpg?crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fm=webp&fp-x=0.3989&fp-y=0.3095&h=1067&q=75&w=1600&s=27e9edc33d72e366f1293387fb4bb69c 1600w" width="400" height="267" loading="lazy" js-autosizes /> </a> </div> <div class="story-card__description"> <h3 class="story-card__hed" > <a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/thomas-weiner-montana-medical-board-renewed-st-peters-hospital"> The State Medical Board Has Evidence This Doctor Was Hurting Patients. It Renewed His License — Twice. </a> </h3> <p class="story-card__dek" > The Montana hospital that fired Dr. Thomas C. Weiner turned over thousands of pages of documents, but members of the board say they were unaware of them. </p> <p class="story-card__byline"> <span class="story-card__byline-author"> by <a class="name" href="https://www.propublica.org/people/j-david-mcswane">J. David McSwane</a>, ProPublica, and <span class="name">Mara Silvers</span>, <a href="https://montanafreepress.org/">Montana Free Press</a>, </span> <span class="story-card__byline-dateline"> <time class="timestamp" datetime="2025-03-21EDT05:00">March 21, 2025, 5 a.m. EDT</time> </span> </p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="most-read-story"> <div class="story-card story-card--standard"> <div class="lead-art thumbnail"> <a class="aspect-1-1" href="https://www.propublica.org/article/recording-reveals-leland-dudek-thoughts-trump-doge-social-security"> <img alt="" src="data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%271%27%20height%3D%271%27%20style%3D%27background%3Atransparent%27%2F%3E" srcset="https://img.assets-d.propublica.org/v5/images/GettyImages-2199866739_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_quality_95_embedColorProfile_true.jpg?crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fm=webp&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=105&q=75&w=105&s=3bebd0c465c749f9daee0267baf6d67b 105w, https://img.assets-d.propublica.org/v5/images/GettyImages-2199866739_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_quality_95_embedColorProfile_true.jpg?crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fm=webp&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=210&q=75&w=210&s=7d43255e03cbf1152729caa546f37c1e 210w" width="105" height="105" loading="lazy" js-autosizes /> </a> </div> <div class="story-card__description"> <h3 class="story-card__hed" > <a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/recording-reveals-leland-dudek-thoughts-trump-doge-social-security"> “The President Wanted It and I Did It”: Recording Reveals Head of Social Security’s Thoughts on DOGE and Trump </a> </h3> <p class="story-card__dek" > In a recording obtained by ProPublica, acting Social Security Commissioner Leland Dudek portrayed his agency as facing peril, while also encouraging patience with “the DOGE kids.” </p> <p class="story-card__byline"> <span class="story-card__byline-author"> by <a class="name" href="https://www.propublica.org/people/eli-hager">Eli Hager</a>, </span> <span class="story-card__byline-dateline"> <time class="timestamp" datetime="2025-03-12EDT10:25">March 12, 2025, 10:25 a.m. EDT</time> </span> </p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="most-read-story"> <div class="story-card story-card--standard"> <div class="lead-art thumbnail"> <a class="aspect-1-1" href="https://www.propublica.org/article/propublica-russell-vought-prophetic-trump-second-term"> <img alt="" src="data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%271%27%20height%3D%271%27%20style%3D%27background%3Atransparent%27%2F%3E" srcset="https://img.assets-d.propublica.org/v5/images/GettyImages-2193469686_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_quality_95_embedColorProfile_true.jpg?crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fm=webp&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=105&q=75&w=105&s=904d51aa3af5f384db5aa17f08268a7b 105w, https://img.assets-d.propublica.org/v5/images/GettyImages-2193469686_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_quality_95_embedColorProfile_true.jpg?crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fm=webp&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=210&q=75&w=210&s=d6e6e6f8ce69d444491637704e28984f 210w" width="105" height="105" loading="lazy" js-autosizes /> </a> </div> <div class="story-card__description"> <a class="story-card__series" href="https://www.propublica.org/series/a-closer-look">A Closer Look</a> <h3 class="story-card__hed" > <a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/propublica-russell-vought-prophetic-trump-second-term"> The October Story That Outlined Exactly What the Trump Administration Would Do to the Federal Bureaucracy </a> </h3> <p class="story-card__dek" > Historians have hindsight when they look into the past; journalists have the facts on the ground and context to help them look ahead. That means we can sometimes be surprised by how prescient a story turns out to be. </p> <p class="story-card__byline"> <span class="story-card__byline-author"> by <a class="name" href="https://www.propublica.org/people/stephen-engelberg">Stephen Engelberg</a>, </span> <span class="story-card__byline-dateline"> <time class="timestamp" datetime="2025-03-20EDT07:00">March 20, 2025, 7 a.m. EDT</time> </span> </p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="most-read-story"> <div class="story-card story-card--standard"> <div class="lead-art thumbnail"> <a class="aspect-1-1" href="https://www.propublica.org/article/more-americans-will-be-caught-up-trump-immigration-raids"> <img alt="" src="data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%271%27%20height%3D%271%27%20style%3D%27background%3Atransparent%27%2F%3E" srcset="https://img.assets-d.propublica.org/v5/images/022125_Jonathan-Guerrero-Melchor_Propublica_0388_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.jpg?crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fm=webp&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=105&q=75&w=105&s=5efa2fffdfeaf1228cdc41717058f6d3 105w, https://img.assets-d.propublica.org/v5/images/022125_Jonathan-Guerrero-Melchor_Propublica_0388_preview_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_embedColorProfile_true_quality_95.jpg?crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fm=webp&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=210&q=75&w=210&s=a33a5d63d3e20a66efc3b04c0fb0972c 210w" width="105" height="105" loading="lazy" js-autosizes /> </a> </div> <div class="story-card__description"> <a class="story-card__series" href="https://www.propublica.org/series/the-new-immigration">The New Immigration</a> <h3 class="story-card__hed" > <a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/more-americans-will-be-caught-up-trump-immigration-raids"> Some Americans Have Already Been Caught in Trump’s Immigration Dragnet. More Will Be. </a> </h3> <p class="story-card__dek" > Federal immigration authorities have a history of wrongfully detaining U.S. citizens. 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Report Finds “Code of Silence” at Mental Health Facility Where Staff Abused and Neglected Patients — ProPublica