THE FORT WAYNE NEWS-SENTINEL

STATE CENTER WON'T LOSE FUNDING
AN INSPECTION SHOWED PROBLEMS HAD BEEN CORRECTED.

Friday, October 31, 1997
Section: FIRST SECTION
Page: 3A

FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

The Fort Wayne State Developmental Center will not lose any Medicaid funding because no major problems were found during a recent inspection, state health officials said.

The state had threatened to decertify the center from the state/federal Medicaid program if the staff didn't correct major problems found during a summer inspection.

An inspection conducted last week revealed most of those problems had been corrected, health officials announced Thursday.

Andrew Stoner, a spokesman with the state health department, said inspectors found some problems at the center during the latest inspection and cited it for failing to meet some state and federal rules. However, none of those were major problems that would prevent the center from receiving Medicaid, he said.

The center houses about 440 residents who are mentally disabled. About two-thirds of the center's $39 million budget comes from Medicaid payments made on behalf of center residents.

In August, the center corrected the most serious problem found during the summer inspection - one dealing with unexplained injuries, the state said.

Health officials gave the center until last Friday to correct the remaining problems, many of which related to staffing levels.