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OnTrack director fired after families found 'at risk of harm' The Department of Human Services has found safety hazards at three of OnTrack's housing units, including this one on King Street in Medford. Mail Tribune / Denise Baratta Friday Jan 27, 2017 at 1:28 PM Jan 27, 2017 at 6:02 PM Damian Mann Mail Tribune @reporterdm Rita Sullivan has been fired as executive director of OnTrack Inc., a week after state investigators conducting surprise visits found rodent feces, black mold and workers who hadn't undergone background checks at OnTrack facilities. "As far as the board is concerned, she won't be returning," OnTrack board President Jim Maize said Friday. Maize said he couldn't discuss the details of Sullivan's departure other than to say it was announced to OnTrack staff Friday morning. Sullivan, who built OnTrack into Southern Oregon's largest provider of addiction recovery services since its founding 39 years ago, had been on paid leave since November. Her annual salary was $120,000. Sullivan couldn't be reached for comment Friday. During the surprise visits to OnTrack facilities Jan. 17-19, eight investigators from the state Department of Human Services and Oregon Health Authority uncovered myriad safety risks to clients, according to a Jan. 24 letter DHS Deputy Director Reginald Richardson sent to Maize at OnTrack. The Mail Tribune obtained a copy of the letter through a public records request. "Upon completion of the investigation, DHS has determined that there are currently children and families at risk of harm who are receiving services from OnTrack," Richardson wrote in his letter. DHS required that 20 families be moved into other living situations and gave OnTrack until Monday to provide a corrective action plan. The state contracts with OnTrack to provide a variety of drug treatment programs. DHS paid OnTrack $2.81 million from July 1, 2015, to Jan. 10; the Oregon Health Authority gave OnTrack $1.13 million in 2016. Teenagers housed at Holly and Fifth streets were moved to another facility after DHS investigators found inadequate heating and water leaking into the girl's dorm through the walls, ceiling and floors. Black mold was found throughout the facility. "As DHS noted, OnTrack has relocated residents in the Teen treatment facility to a safe and suitable location,” Maize said in an email to the Mail Tribune. DHS and OHA investigators discovered an OnTrack maintenance worker who had contact with children and families had an out-of-state warrant. The worker did undergo a background check, but the results indicated he shouldn't be working at OnTrack, Richardson's letter said. A sample of other OnTrack employees found they didn't have background checks in their personnel files. “The maintenance person described in the report is no longer employed by OnTrack," Maize said. A DHS inspection of OnTrack crisis housing units on 11th, 12th and King streets found other health problems, including rodent feces in the beds and bedrooms of recovering addicts and their families. Many units used space heaters, which can pose a fire hazard, because the heating system wasn't adequate for the buildings, Richardson's letter said. When a baby was burned by a wall heater, OnTrack installed fencing around the heaters as a temporary solution. Standing water was found in a basement with a washer and dryer, posing potential safety risks. Another unit had a sewage leak. Cords on mini blinds were too long, posing a choking risk for children. "The units that were toured by the team were found to be dirty, in need of paint, new flooring, new fixtures, new doors and new finishes," Richardson wrote. The inspection found leaky plumbing, "bouncy" floors where the subflooring "was obviously rotten" and exposed wiring, among other maintenance issues that hadn't been addressed. Crisis housing is required to provide constant supervision of recovering addicts under OnTrack's Strengthening, Preserving and Reunifying Families contract with the state. "It is clear that staff are not providing 24/7 supervision in the housing crisis program, as required by the SPRF contract," Richardson wrote. Investigators also heard reports of possible child abuse that are being investigated by DHS, Richardson wrote. Maize didn't respond to questions about how long the organization has known about problems in the buildings. He said in a short phone interview that OnTrack doesn't plan to dispute the findings of the DHS review. He explained in his email, “The OnTrack board cares deeply about the children in the agency’s care and is acting swiftly to address the safety and facility issues raised by the Department of Human Services. We plan to submit a corrective action plan as requested no later than January 30.” The Mail Tribune has requested a copy of OnTrack's corrective action plan when it is submitted to DHS. Maize said OnTrack is conducting a thorough organizational audit to address issues that have been raised, from staffing to facility maintenance. He said the organization is attempting to resolve management issues. "Meanwhile, we are continuing our work to help men and women suffering from addiction reclaim their lives, families, careers and self respect," Maize said in his email. In addition to the DHS and OHA investigation, a Sept. 8, 2015, tort claim filed by current and former staff members alleges abusive behavior by Sullivan toward employees. The claim alleges Sullivan kicked or slammed her hand against things close to employees while yelling and cursing at them and berated them in public and private. Two months after the tort claim, Sullivan was placed on paid leave. Maize sent a letter to staff Nov. 26 stating that investigators had been looking into allegations that "management have inappropriately interacted with some OnTrack staff." State Rep. Pam Marsh, D-Ashland, worked as deputy director at OnTrack for seven years. "Up to the time I left OnTrack five years ago, I had not observed the sort of egregious health and safety violations that Oregon child welfare officials discovered recently," she said in an email to the Mail Tribune. "However, I was aware of management practices that could have resulted in a breakdown of this sort." At the time, she said she informed OnTrack board members of her concerns. Marsh said she is confident that the board will take responsibility for rebuilding OnTrack and sustaining its vital role in the community. "These citizen volunteers have my full support in their efforts to restore public trust in an important provider of services to the many Jackson County residents — parents, children, friends and neighbors — who are struggling with substance abuse," Marsh said in her email. — Reach reporter Damian Mann at 541-776-4476 or [email protected]. Follow him on www.twitter.com/reporterdm.