Youth Intensive Services in Austintown can't accept any more clients until they make some changes. 

The Ohio Department of Mental Health & Addiction Services ordered the pause after they found 47 violations. The organization has a facility in the Mahoning Valley where children ages 12-18 stay to receive mental and behavioral support. 

OhioMHAS conducted a survey of the facility on June 6 and 7. Some violations that they found include 12 counts of "incomplete and insufficient staff background checks and training" for workers and improper conditions of the building like window screens and floor tiles missing. 

The bulk of the violations were 16 counts of "inappropriate restraint risk strategies."

The state's report details each incident. In one, "the restraint continued for 85 minutes."  In another incident, the report states that a staff member was terminated after they were in a "power struggle with resident during a restraint and aggressively shoved the resident."

OhioMHAS is requiring YIS to ensure that staff are trained on proper ways to restrain clients. 

YIS can continue to care for the clients they already have but they must submit a plan of correction to the state and make changes to have the pause on new clients lifted. 

"Youth Intensive Services is making documentary modifications and minor physical repairs to the facility as requested by the recently received corrective action. We remain optimistic that requests to have some of the findings stricken from public record will be ratified. Our license continues to be in good standing and children well cared for within our facility," a statement from YIS reads in-part. 

The full list of violations include: 

  • Sixteen counts involving inappropriate restraint risk strategies, planning, implementation, and documentation.
  • One count of incomplete emergency safety measures.
  • Three counts of incomplete incident reporting and procedures. 
  • Twelve counts of incomplete and insufficient staff background checks and training prior to beginning work.
  • Three counts of improper grievance procedure posting and execution.
  • Eight counts of incomplete or insufficient resident information, including emergency response information, personal care plans, progress notes, and required community notifications.
  • Four counts of insufficient resident discharge planning and execution.

OhioMHAS reviews facilities every three years or whenever a severe incident is reported. 

"As the licensing authority for mental health services in the state, the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS) takes seriously its obligation to protect the health and safety of Ohioans," a statement from OhioMHAS said.

OhioMHAS expects to receive a corrective plan from YIS within the next few weeks.

"Should YIS fail to address the findings identified during the latest survey and come into full compliance with Ohio Administrative Code, the department is prepared to take additional necessary steps to ensure that youth currently entrusted to YIS receive quality care and treatment in a safe environment," OhioMHAS's statement said.