Officials at a brain injury rehabilitation center in Effingham are disputing allegations that residents at its facility have been subject to abuse and neglect, including a death in 2012.
Governor Maggie Hassan has ordered that no further patients be admitted as the state reviews the charges.
A pair of reports issued Monday by the Disability Rights Center of New Hampshire detail problems at Lakeview NeuroRehabilitation Center in Effingham.
One report outlines alleged missteps in care that led to the death two years ago of a 22-year-old male resident.
Disability Rights Center staff attorney Karen Rosenberg says those findings were based on interviews with Lakeview employees.
“We conducted a thorough investigation into the circumstances leading to his death and determined that they really did not heed the very clear warning signs about this man’s health and that those failures likely led to his death.”
In a statement, the center, which is part of a chain that also operates in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, disputes the report’s findings, though acknowledges the incidents cited occurred and were reported to the proper authorities.
Governor Hassan called the allegations “deeply disturbing,” and says Lakeview will be monitored during the state’s investigation.
That investigation will include an outside review of how the state Health and Human Services department handled any complaints about Lakeview.
