Union wants changes at Centralia facility for disabled to prevent coronavirus spread
Editor’s note: This story was updated Tuesday afternoon to include additional confirmed cases of coronavirus among residents and employees of Illinois Department of Human Services facilities for people with developmental disabilities.
The union that represents more than 500 employees at Warren G. Murray Developmental Center in Centralia is asking administrators to make changes in light of last week’s news that 17 residents and six employees had tested positive for coronavirus.
The Illinois Department of Human Services provided updated figures on Tuesday, reporting that Murray had 41 confirmed cases, including 22 residents and 19 employees, as of Monday.
Before that update, Local 401 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees responded to a Belleville News-Democrat request for comment by sending a statement via Facebook.
The union stated that some challenges, including the need for more COVID-19 testing and personal protective equipment, are nationwide and not specific to Murray; that the facility’s administrators are “listening;” and that progress has been made to reduce the chance of transmission.
“However, this is a time of crisis,” the statement read. “We need more than listening from management. (We) need urgent and decisive action. In too many instances we believe management is still doing things the way they’ve always been done, rather than being willing to change approaches in order to minimize risk.”
Murray is an Illinois Department of Human Services facility for people ages 21 to 75 with a wide range of developmental disabilities. Its 241 residents live in seven “cottages” on the 120-acre campus. There are 559 employees.
The initial 17 residents who tested positive for coronavirus, which causes the respiratory illness COVID-19, were quarantined in one part of Grape Cottage, Human Services spokeswoman Meghan Powers said Thursday. Other residents with possible symptoms were quarantined in other cottages while awaiting test results.
In its statement, the union maintained that too many employees are moving between cottages, creating the possibility of coronavirus transmission. It also suggested that meals be prepared in a central location and delivered to keep dietary staff from being required to work in Grape Cottage.
“These are just two examples,” the statement read. “When the local union has raised these issues, management listens and says they’re considering it. That’s the old way of operating that is too administrative and cumbersome. We need management to take a different, more proactive approach for this time of crisis.”
AFSCME Local 401 President Steve Koppen couldn’t be reached for comment on Monday. The Murray administration office referred media inquiries to Human Services, but Powers couldn’t be reached for comment.
Widespread testing
About two weeks ago, Human Services received additional COVID-19 tests from the Illinois Department of Public Health and started widespread testing of residents and employees at its seven facilities for people with developmental disabilities and seven psychiatric hospitals.
Some 112 residents and 43 employees at facilities for people with developmental disabilities had tested positive statewide as of Thursday, including the 23 cases at Murray, Powers said. That went up Monday to 162 residents and 71 employees, including the 41 cases at Murray.
Last week, Edwardsville resident Carl Green expressed concern that his brother, John, was still living in Grape Cottage after testing negative for coronavirus. John, 59 is intellectually challenged and has a spinal condition that could cause complications if he developed respiratory problems.
Green talked to Illinois Rep. Charlie Meier, whose District 108 includes part of Centralia, about the situation on Monday.
“I’m somewhat relieved after hearing some specifics about what they’re doing (to protect residents),” Green said. “I would still like to have Johnny moved out of that cottage, but I can’t say that they’re being reckless.”
Murray Parents Association President Rita Winkeler, whose 35-year-old son, Mark, lives at Murray, has praised the facility’s administrators for their responsible handling of the health crisis.
On Saturday, Winkeler said it was the Illinois Department of Public Health that recommended leaving Grape Cottage residents in their regular rooms because it would cause less disruption to their lives and because those who tested positive and negative could be completely separated.
“(Residents with positive results) are quarantined in their rooms 24/7 for 14 days,” Winkeler said. “Their meals are served in their rooms. The only time they leave their rooms is to go to the bathroom, and then they’re with a staff member.”
AFSCME statement
Here is the AFSCME Local 401 statement in full:
“Union members at Murray care for individuals with disabilities, helping to meet all their needs. This work is essential and it is difficult in even the best of circumstances. In this time of crisis it is even more vital, yet it also comes with increased risk.
“AFSCME has been working to minimize that risk in every way possible, to protect the health of employees and individuals, and to reduce the chance of transmission both inside the facility and in the broader community.
“We have made a lot of progress. Some challenges that still remain are not specific to Murray or DHS or even to Illinois — for example limits on the supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) and access to testing are nationwide challenges. Other challenges are specific to facilities like Murray, and in general, our lines of communication with facility management are open and they are listening.
“However, this is a time of crisis. We need more than listening from management, we need urgent and decisive action. In too many instances we believe management is still doing things the way they’ve always been done, rather than being willing to change approaches in order to minimize risk.
“At this time the COVID-positive individuals are all (in) one cottage, but too many staff are still moving between cottages, opening the door to possibly transmitting the virus throughout the facility. Clerical employees should not be going from cottage to cottage to collect records or transmit documents; management should consider ways to do so electronically, or not at all if necessary right now.
“Specifically where our COVID 19 individuals are concerned, meal preparation and delivery can and should be conducted centrally, removing the need for cottage dietary staff to be present in that specific cottage.
“These are just two examples. When the local union has raised these issues, management listens and says they’re considering it. That’s the old way of operating that is too administrative and cumbersome. We need management to take a different, more proactive approach for this time of crisis.”
This story was originally published April 14, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
