AUSTIN, Texas (AP) _ Texas officials have neared an agreement with federal investigators on fixing problems in the state’s 13 large residential facilities for the mentally disabled.
State officials said Thursday they have agreed with the Department of Justice on a tentative plan that would hire more direct care workers and medical staff, such as psychiatrists, pharmacists and dentists. The plan would establish independent monitors to report conditions at the facilities to state and federal officials.
The state schools have been under fire since last year when a federal report showed dozens of mentally disabled people died under questionable circumstances and hundreds of employees were disciplined for mistreating residents.