A local advocacy group for people with disabilities released a report this week that claims a Nampa behavioral health treatment center is unsafe for residents.
For a year, DisAbility Rights Idaho investigated the Southwest Idaho Treatment Center. DRI released their findings this week in a report called “No safe place to call home.” They analyzed reports from Jan. 2017 to Jan. 2018. In that timeframe, they confirmed 49 acts of sexual, physical and psychological abuse took place.
SWITC is owned by the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. The state agency says the report doesn’t give accurate context of incidents.
"Our staff at SWITC have addressed those and have made some pretty significant changes to increase the safety for residents and employees at the facility," Niki Forbing-Orr, public information manager for Idaho Health and Welfare, says.
Forbing-Orr says they work closely with DRI on a number of issues. While she respects what DRI does, she says the report itself isn’t accurate.
"We respect the work that they do to advocate on behalf of developmentally disabled people in Idaho, but we think this report is just inaccurate and it’s not complete."
Forbing-Orr says Health and Welfare will discuss these matters with DRI in the near future.
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