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CORNELIUS, Ore. (AP) — The state has closed a Washington County center for mentally ill patients after one resident alone in the backyard for a nighttime smoke climbed a chair, cleared a fence and fled.
Alex Volobuev, 53, told police he didn’t want to go back to the Connell House in Cornelius last week because “the staff is crazier than the residents.”
The center, opened a year ago, has caused concern in the community. It was designed for mental patients who have been found guilty, except for insanity, in criminal cases.
Sheriff Rob Gordon had his deputies notify neighbors in January when he found out that staff members were taking residents on walks without restraints. Neighbors said they didn’t know the Connell House had patients accused of crimes and they feared sex offenders walking free.
Cornelius officials revoked the Connell House land-use permit in January, saying they were misled about the clientele when the operator, Luke-Dorf Inc., applied to run the facility. Luke-Dorf appealed the decision and has until mid-July to submit a new application.
State officials said last week’s action followed a Washington County investigation into allegations of clients involved in sex and inappropriate drug use.
“The standards for running a secure residential treatment facility are very high,” Len Ray, administrator of adult mental services for the Department of Human Services, said Monday in a news release. “We are taking such decisive actions now because it is clear there are unresolved issues with this treatment provider.”
The six patients have been moved, the department said, pending the results of an investigation could lead to action as severe as revoking Luke-Dorf’s license to operate the facility.
Alex Volobuev, 53, told police he didn’t want to go back to the Connell House in Cornelius last week because “the staff is crazier than the residents.”
The center, opened a year ago, has caused concern in the community. It was designed for mental patients who have been found guilty, except for insanity, in criminal cases.
Sheriff Rob Gordon had his deputies notify neighbors in January when he found out that staff members were taking residents on walks without restraints. Neighbors said they didn’t know the Connell House had patients accused of crimes and they feared sex offenders walking free.
Cornelius officials revoked the Connell House land-use permit in January, saying they were misled about the clientele when the operator, Luke-Dorf Inc., applied to run the facility. Luke-Dorf appealed the decision and has until mid-July to submit a new application.
State officials said last week’s action followed a Washington County investigation into allegations of clients involved in sex and inappropriate drug use.
“The standards for running a secure residential treatment facility are very high,” Len Ray, administrator of adult mental services for the Department of Human Services, said Monday in a news release. “We are taking such decisive actions now because it is clear there are unresolved issues with this treatment provider.”
The six patients have been moved, the department said, pending the results of an investigation could lead to action as severe as revoking Luke-Dorf’s license to operate the facility.
Howard Spanbock, executive director of Luke-Dorf, said the allegations had been investigated, “and there were no findings.” He said the sex involved was between consenting adults, and the drugs were not illegal street drugs but rather medication.
Volobuev was committed to the center through a civil procedure, the department said. State officials said he was not criminal or a threat to himself or others.
“He was there voluntarily and decided he wanted to leave,” Spanbock said. “No laws were broken.”
On Thursday night, members of the Connell House staff found Volobuev sitting on the curb at a convenience store about 100 yards away, Cornelius police said.
“I escaped,” he told police. “It was so easy a child could do it.”
Gordon said the staff members checked the backyard at 10:45 p.m. and Volobuev was there, but he was gone 15 minutes later.
Police said it was another 18 minutes before Connell House staff called 9-1-1 for help — Volobuev had refused to go back.
On Friday, state officials closed the facility. Four clients under the authority of the state Psychiatric Security Review Board were returned to the State Hospital, the Department of Human Services said.
Volobuev was hospitalized, and a second person who was committed in a civil procedure was placed in another treatment facility.
Volobuev was committed to the center through a civil procedure, the department said. State officials said he was not criminal or a threat to himself or others.
“He was there voluntarily and decided he wanted to leave,” Spanbock said. “No laws were broken.”
On Thursday night, members of the Connell House staff found Volobuev sitting on the curb at a convenience store about 100 yards away, Cornelius police said.
“I escaped,” he told police. “It was so easy a child could do it.”
Gordon said the staff members checked the backyard at 10:45 p.m. and Volobuev was there, but he was gone 15 minutes later.
Police said it was another 18 minutes before Connell House staff called 9-1-1 for help — Volobuev had refused to go back.
On Friday, state officials closed the facility. Four clients under the authority of the state Psychiatric Security Review Board were returned to the State Hospital, the Department of Human Services said.
Volobuev was hospitalized, and a second person who was committed in a civil procedure was placed in another treatment facility.
