The Michigan Daily-Thursday, May 4, 1978-Page 9 TASK FORCE WILL MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS: Plymouth findings due today By MICHAEL ARKUSH The special seven-member investiga- tive task forceassigned by Governor William Milliken to uncover cases of abuse at the Plymouth Center for Human Development and other state mental institutions will release today a report listing the committees findings since it began its inquiry nearly two months ago. Wilbur Cohen, University education school dean and chairman of the task force, said yesterday the report con- tains 25 different recommendations for the Department of Mental Health (DMH). "We have made a responsible report that covers the major elements in the Plymouth case," Cohen said. THE TASK force was appointed by the Governor after a series of articles in the Detroit Free Press described various cases of abuse and neglect at incurred by other state mental in- stitutions. It is unknown how long that investigation will take. The task force has met continuously in the last few weeks with represen- tatives of the Attorney General's office, the Civil Services Commission and the governor's office. The committee also met with Evelyn Provitt, acting direc- tor at Plymouth, to evaluate different hiring methods for new Plymouth at- tendants. Members of the Plymouth Association for Retarded Citizens (PARC), which is comprised mostly of Plymouth residents held a meeting Tuesday night to respond to last week's recommendations by a second gover- nor-appointed task force which called for reprimands and firings for several Plymouth attendants. This task force also includes representatives of DSS, DMH and the State Police. THE TASK force also referred 33 in- tors who have more direct control with the residents, out of there not only because of the abuses committed but also for their coverups," said Brimhall. BRIMHALL ALSO said PARC hopes that several recommendations which they submitted to Cohen's task force will be included in today's report. "Our lawyer was present at many of the task force's meetings and we hope that the committee will mention some of our recommendations," said Brimhall. Cohen, however, said he never received written list of recommen- dations from PARC but confirms the committee "took into consideration testimony from the parents' group." He said that Larry Gilbert, a lawyer for PARC was present at the meetings and contributed to the discussions. BRIMHALL SAID yesterday that PARC is also very concerned over the amount of medical care residents are receiving at Plymouth. She said she heard reports that only two doctors were employed at the institution, which houses more than 800 residentr' "We have to find out why they are not hiring doctors," said Brimhall. A spokesman for Evelyn Provitt, however, claims there are three doc- tors working at Plymouth and they are looking for several more. THIS ADlO PINNER 'We have made a responsible report that covers the major elements in the Plymouth case.' - Task force chairman and University School of Education Dean Wilbur Cohen the center. The newspaper's findings forced the transfer of Plymouth Direc- tor William Womack to Lansing and the resignation of DMH Director Donald Smith. The task force will hold its final meeting on the Plymouth case in Lan- sing today. Cohen said Milliken will at- tend and receive the committee's report. Cohen's task force consists of representatives from the Department of Social Services (DSS), State Police and DMH. Other members include William Haber, a former dean at the University, Erma Henderson, president of the Detroit City Council and Walter Green, vice president of the National Bank of Detroit. TODAY'S MEETING will not mark the end of the task force's respon- sibilities. Members will begin discussing today the specific problems cidents of alleged abuse to the State Police for further invertigation and recommended that the details surroun- ding the deaths of five other residents be reviewed by 'a team of outside physicians to see if n-dical neglect was a factor. It was also announced that former Plymouth director William Womack has until June 1to resign or he will be fired from his Lansing post. Most PARC members expressed ap- proval over the tasl force's findings but continued to insist that there is much more work needed to be done. "IT IS ONLY the beginning and we don't want this thing dropped," said Mary Brimhall, PARC member. Brimhall said that everyone was pleased by Womack's removal but believe that more people must be punished for abuses. "We want more people at Plymouth out of there. We want program direc- More than fifty percent of the world is starving. 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