#AdvocacyMatters: The Promise of Our PAIMI Grant

April 4, 2025 / #AdvocacyMatters

Willowbrook State School, the largest state institution which opened in 1948 for the treatment of people with intellectual disabilities, was exposed for abuse and neglect atrocities in 1972 following a shocking film by Geraldo Rivera. The outcry following then led to the creation of the Protection and Advocacy network, including us here at DRO.

The work we do at DRO holds that promise of striving to eliminate abuse and neglect for people with mental health disabilities. At the core of this work is our PAIMI ("Protection and Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illnesses") grant. Today we step back to review the work of this team, the promise of the PAIMI grant, and the hard work it takes to never go back to a situation like Willowbrook for our most vulnerable Ohioans.

Our Abuse and Neglect team works to monitor those places that are the most isolated. These places include state psychiatric hospitals, private psychiatric hospitals, youth residential treatment centers, adult residential settings, general nursing homes, locked behavioral health units in nursing homes, jails, prisons, and juvenile detention centers. In the last year, our team visited over 43 facilities for these monitoring events. While abuse and neglect does occur, the takeaway our team holds is the same - when we all work together we can try to eliminate isolation and harm. Our Abuse and Neglect Team Leader, Amy Price, explains this duality.

"We believe no one ever comes to service provider work with the intent to do harm, yet abuse, neglect, and exploitation, at times, occur at uncomfortable frequencies and need to be rapidly addressed. Most providers do share goals for safer environments and good treatment and are willing to work with us."

With these visits we help to ensure decision-making includes the rights, interests, and viewpoints of individuals with lived experiences. These visits also help us to make recommendations to improve living conditions at facilities and gather data for how individuals in institutions best communicate their wishes.

"We put those with lived mental health experiences at the center of our work. We are fierce advocates who understand our responsibilities to elevate their voices and concerns. Each day we are talking about human beings and human life," stated Amy Price.

While this PAIMI work is hard work, it's critical work. You can learn more about our PAIMI grant and our Goals and Objectives for the year here. If you'd like to support our work in ensuring we avoid another Willowbrook, you can do that here.#AdvocacyMatters