State sanctions mental health center where teens put in chokeholds, slapped and abused

State authorities ordered a troubled mental health treatment center to stop accepting new teens into the facility until its problems are fixed.

The 57-page state report cited 47 violations, including 16 issues with restraints of teens. For example, an employee shoved a child during a "power struggle," and another child was held in a restraint for an hour and 25 minutes.

In a two-day inspection, the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services found the Youth Intensive Services center in Youngstown in disrepair − broken tiles, missing furniture, empty hand sanitizer dispensers − and failed to conduct required staff training and background checks.

Youth Intensive Services said in a written statement that it is making the requested changes and is confident admissions will be restored.

"Our license continues to be in good standing and children well cared for within our facility," the statement said in part.

The state action comes on the heels of a scathing report from Disability Rights Ohio, a non-profit advocacy organization. In May, Disability Rights Ohio said children sent to Youth Intensive Services are subjected to chokeholds and slaps, being pinned to the ground and verbally abused, and are regularly leaving the campus.

The Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services ordered the center to close new admissions and submit a correction plan. Failure to do so could bring more sanctions, state officials said in a statement. State law allows for license revocation.

"Obviously, we are glad that they are finally taking action, but we're concerned that it took 16 months," said Kerstin Sjoberg, director of Disability Rights Ohio. Disability Rights Ohio is a statewide non-profit with the authority to advocate and protect people with disabilities in prisons, jails and other institutional settings.

Sjoberg said her team contacted state authorities to raise alarm bells at least a dozen times. The Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services didn't tell Disability Rights Ohio that the state had conducted a review in June or decided to suspend new admissions, she said.

"We're hopeful − usually, this is an amazing first step − but we're not going to stop advocating because we still aren't sure if it's really going to get fixed," she said.

Child protective services agencies in multiple counties, including Franklin, Summit, Stark, Carroll and Tuscarawas, send children to Youth Intensive Services.

In the first five months of 2024, there were 31 police reports of children leaving the facility. One kid made it to the bus station nearly 3.5 miles away before police found them. Two other children trying to leave the grounds were left outside in winter for 20 minutes while employees periodically checked in from the doorway. Off grounds, they're subjected to dangerous conditions, sexual assaults and injuries, DRO said in its report.

Youth Intensive Services is licensed for 33 kids, ages 12 to 18, according to Disability Rights Ohio. The state licenses about 60 such residential facilities for at-risk children.

Laura Bischoff is a reporter for the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau, which serves the Columbus Dispatch, Cincinnati Enquirer, Akron Beacon Journal and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: State sanctions mental health center where teens put in chokeholds, slapped and abused