Crosspointe RCF In Edina Is Closing

Crosspointe RCF In Edina Is Closing

By Echo Menges

According to the Crosspointe Residential Care Facility (RCF) Administrator, Cheryl Kline, the State of Missouri’s Department of Health and Senior Services is shutting Crosspointe RCF in Edina down. She says the facility had been working under a “probationary” state license for “some time” and had been getting regular visits from the Department of Health and Senior Services representatives, as many as two to three visits a month, for more than a year due mainly to “hotline” reports.
Kline says she was notified January 4, 2011 in a letter from the Department of Health and Senior Services that the facilities state license was revoked and a new temporary license was issued, which will expire February 15, 2011. Kline says Crosspointe’s doors will close for good at 5:00pm that day.
“The Department of Health and Senior Services has decided we have enough deficiencies to close us down.” Said Kline. “Whatever deficiencies we had almost all of them are completely corrected, but that doesn’t seem to make any difference.”
“One thing we have not been able to correct is the money flow.” Said Rev. Dewayne Wellborn who owns the facility. He says the driving force behind the state’s revocation of Crosspointe’s operating license is mainly a financial one and there is not enough money for the facility to function properly.
“In order for this facility to operate it requires 35 patients to break even. We haven’t had that for a long time.” Said Wellborn.
A copy of the letter issued to both E. Dewayne Wellborn and Cheryl Kline from the Department of Health and Senior Services informing them the facilities license had been revoked was obtained by the Sentinel late last week. It was dated December 30, 2010 and sited several instances of fire violations as well as mismanagement of patient finances. The letter also sited a sample study of four residents, three of whom the facility was found to have mishandled their medications.
Administrator Kline has spent the last few weeks scrambling to find a place for the facilities 28 patients to go and to get unemployment benefits approved for 10 of the facilities remaining 11 employees. So far the head of Crosspointe’s nursing department has been able to find a job elsewhere.
“We are working with guardians and caseworkers and contacting other facilities finding the clients places to go.” Said Kline.
“We are having difficulties finalizing patient placements.” Said Wellborn.
According to Kline Tuesday, January 18 the first patient moved out of Crosspointe RCF and into another facility thanks to help of that patient’s caseworker. Kline says that patient had been living at Crosspointe for 23 years.
“Most of our people have a mental health disorder or a behavioral health issue. They are considered independent. They just need a little extra help. We make sure they get their meds, get to their doctor’s visits, and provide for their daily needs.” Said Kline.
Wellborn says Crosspointe RCF is working under a RCF-2 state license. Some clients may be able to go to the close by LaBelle Manor Care, which is also a licensed RCF, but the licensing classification is different. Before any clients can be admitted into LaBelle Manor Care from Crosspointe they will have to be assessed and approved by the state. The reason being, LaBelle Manor Care is a “skilled nursing facility” and is a higher level of care. Wellborn says there are several patients who should have no problem qualifying for that facility, but there are several others who won’t be so easy to place.
“If you talk to any of the clients they are very upset and so are the staff. The home was developed as a family scenario. They’ve made this their family.” Said Wellborn.
He says not finding a new place for these people to go is not an option. They must be placed by the time the facility closes for good on the fifteenth or they will end up, at the very least, in a homeless shelter.
The Communications Director for the Department of Health and Senior Services, Jacqueline Lapine, said, “If it comes down to that last day and there have been some left over that have not been placed we will step in and try to place those remaining people.”
Crosspointe RCF has been operating in Edina approximately 26 years. It has been under the current owner, Wellborn, W.L.E., LLC, since 2006.
“We went into this because I worked over 20 years with the chronically mentally ill. It’s been a personal thing for both me and my wife. We got in it because the former owner died and if someone didn’t buy it, it would have been closed.” Said Wellborn. “The community of Edina has been key in supporting this operation throughout the years.”
“God doesn’t close a door without opening a window.” Said Kline. “And we’re praying for lots of open windows.”