2 group homes to close July 1

The owner of Illinois Manor had until Tuesday to take corrective action sought by the state.
By PATRICIA MEADE
VINDICATOR CRIME REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Two group homes on the North Side -- including one where a resident was strangled -- will close July 1.
In a letter the VanSickle Corp. sent to concerned parties this week, Charlene Crissman, homes administrator, announced the permanent closing of Covington House, 264 Broadway Ave., and Illinois Manor, 135 Illinois Ave.
"We have struggled to maintain operations over the last several years," Crissman said in the letter. "Due to the recent increase in minimum wage and other cost-of-living increases such as utilities, food and most significantly insurance, the deficit is just too great to absorb."
Crissman said Tuesday that the closings have nothing to do with the choking death in March. "It's strictly financial," she said.
She said roughly 30 men will be displaced from the two group homes. There are other facilities available, she said, adding each resident has a case manager who will aid in placing them elsewhere.
Stephen A. Lawson, 34, was choked to death March 11 at Illinois Manor, where he had lived for many years. Another resident, 50-year-old James R. DiCioccio, was charged with murder and his lawyer entered pleas of not guilty and not guilty by reason of insanity. He remains in the Mahoning County Jail in lieu of 1 million bond.
Must find homes
It's important that mental-health agencies make sure the residents find adequate living arrangements, said John A. Saulitis, long-term care ombudsman for the District XI Area Agency on Aging in Youngstown. He said it's a serious situation to have 30 men homeless and not a lot of time to put a plan together.
Saulitis said he doesn't believe there are 30 open group-home beds in Mahoning County. He said residents of such facilities can have their rent paid through his agency, or through whatever income they receive such as retirement, disability and so forth.
Robert VanSickle, the owner of Illinois Manor, meanwhile, had until Tuesday to take corrective action at the adult-care facility or risk losing his state license.
In a letter to VanSickle in April, after the choking death, the Ohio Department of Health also said civil penalties totaling 1,700 would be imposed for two violations:
The facility failed in its responsibility to protect the rights of residents by retaining a resident with significant behavioral problems who, by his actions, was a demonstrated danger to the health, safety and well-being of other residents and staff.
The facility failed to notify the ODH adult-care facility program of incidents to staff members or residents.
The letter to VanSickle in April was based on a report filed after an unannounced inspection at Illinois Manor was conducted by the ODH on March 12 and 13, after Lawson's death.
Crissman said earlier this month that Illinois Manor was in the process of implementing the corrective measures. "We're trying to be as compliant as possible," she said May 2.
meade@vindy.com