Duluth (trfnews.i234.me) — A supervisory staff member at a Duluth support service for vulnerable adults has been disqualified from direct care work after a state investigation. The findings were outlined in a report by the Minnesota Department of Human Services.
The case involved TBI Residential & Community Services Inc., a Duluth program that serves people with traumatic brain injuries and related needs. The state reviewed reports that the supervisor crossed professional lines with clients and failed to protect their well-being.
What the state found
According to the report, the supervisor spent long periods inside clients’ bedrooms with the doors closed. Investigators also reviewed claims that the worker used methamphetamine and THC vape pens with clients.
The report said four clients at the facility had a history of substance use. Two clients told staff that the supervisor and another client used meth together. Staff also reported signs that the supervisor may have been under the influence during shifts.
One staff member said concerns were first reported to management on Dec. 6. A client also told staff twice that the supervisor and another client were smoking meth in a bedroom or nearby living area.
In another incident, a staff member said the supervisor stayed in a client’s room for five to six hours. The client later appeared glossy-eyed and bloodshot. During the week before Christmas, the same supervisor reportedly left the facility to drop a client at a bar and returned around 3 a.m.
On Dec. 31, a worker reported seeing the supervisor sitting on a client’s bed near a torch and two THC vape pens. That staff member said the supervisor used the vape pen and offered it to others.
On Jan. 1, another staff member found the supervisor in a client’s room with two clients. The report said the supervisor spoke very fast, raising more concerns. Later that night, the worker was seen giving a small plastic bag to a client before driving that client away from the facility.
Client safety concerns
The state found there was enough evidence to support that the supervisor drove a client while under the influence. Investigators said that created a serious risk of harm.
The report also described an inappropriate relationship between the supervisor and a client. A client told investigators that the two were in a relationship and had kissed. Another client told staff they believed the pair were having sex, though not at the facility.
DHS said the worker failed to keep proper professional boundaries. The report said that failure harmed the client’s mental health.
Provider response
The supervisor did not respond to the department’s requests for an interview. The state said it tried to make contact by phone and by certified and noncertified mail.
The worker no longer works at the facility. The person was also disqualified from providing direct contact services. More information about vulnerable adult protections is available through the Minnesota DHS Adult Protection page. The Duluth service listing for TBI Residential & Community Services is also publicly available.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.
