Disabled residents in peril

Belleville (Ill.) News-Democrat: There ought to be a law. People often say that when they hear about our weakest, most vulnerable citizens being abused or neglected.

But for disabled adults in Illinois, there already is a law. The state Department of Human Services is charged with investigating abuse and neglect of people who live at home -- what would happen if they lived in a nursing home or other facility. But to the shame of Gov. Pat Quinn’s administration, the law isn’t always followed or is followed poorly.

BND reporters George Pawlaczyk and Beth Hundsdorfer have detailed cases in which medical personnel, family and friends called the state’s hotline multiple times but the abuse continued. And to the department’s down-the-rabbit-hole way of thinking, the law prevents its inspector general from continuing an investigation the minute someone dies. There have been 53 such instances in Illinois since 2003.

Whoever came up with that preposterous interpretation needs to be fired. The law states that it “shall be liberally construed to promote its underlying purposes, which are to prevent, reduce and eliminate abuse, neglect and exploitation of adults with disabilities.” How does anyone misinterpret that?

Following the department’s logic, the police would stop investigating the minute a gunshot victim died. The Department of Children and Family Services would stop investigating if a child died after abuse or neglect was reported on the state hotline. As we said, preposterous.

On Friday the department announced that it’s going to re-evaluate the inspector general’s role. And quickly change it, we hope.