Investigation at High Road Schools Reveals Serious Shortcomings
March 12, 2024
The Connecticut Office of the Child Advocate (OCA) and Disability Rights Connecticut (DRCT) today released the results of a multi-year investigation into the actions, practices, and oversight by the State Department of Education and High Road Schools, a group of eight state-approved and publicly funded private special education programs.
The Investigative Findings and Recommendations by OCA and DRCT call for a sweeping series of changes to current practices, citing “urgent system concerns,” and recommending “increased local and state oversight and accountability for ensuring children with disabilities receive the appropriate eduation they are entitled to under state and federal law.”
INVESTIGATIVE REPORT ISSUED
November 26, 2019
Upon completion of a lengthy investigation, Disability Rights Connecticut (DRCT) substantiated abuse, neglect and violations of patients’ rights at Whiting Forensic Hospital (WFH) and Connecticut Valley Hospital (CVH).
When revelations of egregious conditions first surfaced in media reports in the Spring of 2017 state entities responded, addressing some of the initial concerns. The subsequent DRCT investigation initially centered on the circumstances in regards to two patients - William Shehadi and Andrew Vermiglio. However, based upon a broader examination, DRCT’s findings illustrate many concerns still exist.
The extensive Investigative Report includes a series of findings and recommendations and a call to action for the Connecticut General Assembly to place CVH under the licensure of the Department of Public Health (DPH) and the Commissioner of the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) to enact immediate reforms in the areas of concern identified in this report.
Report Download Links:
