That's the thing in Florida. It doesn't seem to matter if a person is reputable and accountable if they want to run health care centers. This family is quite an example.
An article from last year tells of the serious problems and eventual closings of the group homes run by a state legislator, Daphne Campbell. Those homes were shut down, 10 of them, in 2006.
Daphne Campbell: Big debts, shady dealingsM.C. was just one of four disabled people to die while under Campbell's care in a one-year period. On October 12, 2006, the state terminated its contract with her company, Professional Group Homes Inc. But that's not the only stain on Campbell, who this past August 24 won a seat in the state House of Representatives for a district that comprises North Miami, Miami Shores, and Little Haiti.
..."In 2002, the Campbells incorporated Professional Group Homes, a chain of facilities for disabled people in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Lee counties. Daphne was the company's chief executive, and Hubert was the marketing director. The business, which included ten homes, began to unravel after M.C.'s rape and death. Things worsened when three others died in her care:
• In April 2006, a resident at a home in Lehigh Acres was admitted to a hospital with a facial cut and a fungal infection. He passed away soon after.
• In July 2006, a resident at the same property perished after choking on a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
• In August 2006, a man living in another of the Campbells' group homes in Miami expired of a suspected bowel obstruction two days after entering a hospital.
Those these 10 homes were closed, Campbell did not lose her license. In fact she now is the owner a facility that provides nurses and specialists for home health care. That business is called
Florida Nurses Home Health Agency.She has been given new authority to bill under the state’s Medicaid program and operate group homes for the disabled.
The Campbell's son, Gregory Campbell, has recently been charged with Medicare fraud in the amount of $300,000 dollars. He has been charged with 3 first-degree felonies.
The son of Democratic state Rep. Daphne Campbell was charged with defrauding Medicaid of nearly $300,000.Gregory Campbell, the son of Democratic state Rep. Daphne Campbell, has been snared in a $299,000 Medicaid scheme in which he is accused of fraudulently billing the agency for clients he didn’t provide any services for. The charges include grand theft, organized fraud, and Medicaid fraud, all first-degree felonies.
Campbell, 28, allegedly billed Medicaid for the same recipients at two separate adult family care homes in Miami-Dade, and also billed for clients who never lived at either facility, according to the arrest affidavit filed in Miami-Dade court by the Florida Attorney General’s office.
.."The two-year investigation by the state Medicaid Fraud Control unit uncovered $299,000 in fraudulent claims paid by the state Agency for Health Care Administration. Medicaid, jointly funded by the state and federal government, is a $20 billion program serving more than 3 million low-income adults and children in Florida.
Campbell was arrested May 12 and is being held in the Miami-Dade County jail.
This article from 2006 in the Sun Sentinel tells more of the problems of their business, Professional Group Homes Inc.
State Closes 10 Group HomesOddly enough the article fails to mention who owned the group homes. The Campbells are not even mentioned.
State officials shut down a network of 10 southern Florida group homes serving mentally disabled clients following the "unexpected deaths" of four people in eight months.
The state Agency for Persons with Disabilities also cited filthy conditions and poor record-keeping for ending its contract with Professional Group Homes Inc., which operates one home in Plantation, five in Miami and four in Lehigh Acres near Fort Myers, agency spokeswoman Lindsay Hodges said.
The agency did not directly accuse the homes of negligence and the state Department of Children and Families would not say whether it was investigating. But the Agency for Persons with Disabilities cites several problems throughout the firm's network of homes. The list includes dead roaches, rodent feces, dirty bed linens, black mold on air conditioning vents, exposed electrical wiring, employees working 80 hours a week and treatment plans not being kept on file.
..."State officials were unable to say Monday how long Professional Group Homes has had a state contract or exactly how much it was being paid. The contract allows the state agency to give 30 days notice and cancel without cause. Amsel said he wants to "reason" with the agency.
It is so strange that all on that list does not equal negligence of people who were helpless. Sounds very negligent to me.
This past July 17 (2010), Hubert filed for bankruptcy. He claimed $423,000 in assets and $400,000 in debts. On August 20, a bank foreclosed on an eight-unit apartment building owned by Daphne Campbell and her daughter. The company claims they missed too many payments on a $225,000 mortgage.
Despite all of these problems, Campbell beat her opponent, Alix Desulme, by 367 votes this past August 24 to take the seat representing District 108. The claims were never discussed. She'll take office in November.
Big Debts, Shady DealingsA little off topic. Oddly enough, Daphne Campbell has become the heroine of the religious anti-choice extremists. Her fellow Democrats are very upset with her because she voted with the GOP to pass restrictive laws against women's reproductive rights.
Florida's Fight for ChoiceCampbell quickly became the poster-child for the Florida anti-choice movement, representing all of those who oppose abortion or have their religious concerns unmet. Her story began to evolve. Suddenly, Randolph owed her a full, public apology (he, and the Democratic leader, already apologized personally to her for the incident, but that was not enough, according to Campbell). She filed an incident report, stating:
Randolph "marched towards me in a menacing and angry manner. Rep. Randolph's hate-filled contorted facial expressions, menacing bodily gestures and loud threats placed me in fear of bodily harm, great anxiety and a strong emotional shock. I had never been accosted in such an aggressive, violent and hate-filled manner.
"Rep. Randolph proceeded to violently throw papers at my face as well as pick up my pencil and angrily throw it in a nearby trashcan.
"As a direct result of Rep. Randolph's attacks against me, that evening I suffered from an anxiety attack, strong migraine-like headaches, back and muscle aches, insomnia as well as stomach pains."
Now, she has begun requesting security to accompany her in the House, saying she is afraid of Randolph. Her story then continues to evolve and shift as more and more attention from anti-choice activists is given to her.
Campbell recently said "I know the Bible and I know abortion is against my God,” she said."
I find that a little hypocritical when I look back at the treatment her family gave disabled and mentally challenged people who could not look out for themselves.
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