Kanagawa Prefecture conducts on-site inspection of a home for the severely disabled

From Kyodo via Yahoo! Japan

March 2 2024

Kanagawa Pref – On March 2, it was learned that the Kanagawa prefectural government had conducted on-site inspections at two group homes for the severely disabled in Kanagawa Prefecture, based on the Comprehensive Support for Persons with Disabilities Act, because the operator was suspected of violating national standards for the operation of group homes for the severely disabled and suddenly evicting residents.

The operator is a general incorporated association, “Wise Infinity Eight,” located in Atsugi City, in Kanagawa prefecture. It operates one “daytime service support type” Group Homes (GH) for severely disabled persons in Fujisawa City and Isehara City in the same prefecture.

According to the officials, last year, a mentally disabled woman moved into a GH in Fujisawa City, and the GH asked her to move out immediately after a month or so because the staff could not handle her well and her behavior had become unstable. The woman was forced to return to her home with her parents.

The government’s operating standards stipulate that “the operator must give consideration to the user’s wishes, the living environment after leaving, and the continuity of support, and provide necessary support,” and there is a possibility that this was a violation of the standards.

Masato Kobayashi, representative director of the corporation, stated in an interview, “We did not force the residents to leave. The residents and the company are at odds over how they perceive the situation.