Injuries at Tryon outrage surgeon
‘Someone’s going to get killed,’ says Amsterdam doctorBy MICHAEL ANICH, The Leader-Herald
PERTH - An Amsterdam orthopedic surgeon is so upset about the number of Tryon Residential Center staff members he treats that he plans to write to state officials, he said.
Dr. Gerald J. Ortiz, a board-certified orthopedic surgeon with Mohawk Valley Orthopedics PC on Route 30, said Wednesday there is a problem with what is going on at Tryon because he's continually treating staff from the facility.
Several youth division aides, both on the boys and girls sides of the state Office of Children & Family Services' facility, have said aides are being assaulted more than ever at Tryon.
"It's getting ridiculous," Ortiz said. "I feel I should do something. Every week, I treat at least two guys [Tryon employees] who have been assaulted. They've either been assaulted or hurt restraining a kid that's unruly."
Ortiz said he's never seen such an increase in his patients from Tryon, which have included both male and female staffers. He said he also has "occasionally" treated young residents from Tryon, but "most of the time the kids were hurt because they resisted."
"I'm outraged by the numbers," Ortiz said. "I say to myself, 'Someone's going to get killed.'"
He said the Tryon staff members who have come to him have told him they're "afraid to do anything" while restraining the youths at Tryon, and are sustaining injuries doing their job.
"I'm seeing a lot of shoulder injuries and knee injuries," Ortiz said.
A 15-year-old Bronx boy, Darryl Thompson, who had an altercation with Tryon staff in November 2006 at the Tryon Boys Limited Secure side, had to be restrained and was eventually transported to St. Mary's Hospital in Amsterdam, where he died.
It was the first death of a resident from an incident at an OCFS facility in 12 years, state officials said. There are about 30 juvenile detention facilities in the state.
Some aides say the local state youth correctional facility has changed in the two years since, as Tryon imposes rules on staff for the way they can handle the residents. The youths are classified as juvenile delinquents by the court system and have committed various crimes.
Aides also say some of the youths have become more violent and are affiliated with gangs. Aides say the number of situations in which staff can restrain the residents has been reduced to three.
Ortiz said he plans to write to OCFS Commissioner Gladys Carrion and Fulton County's state lawmakers to give them insight into some of the injuries he's seeing and treating at his practice.
The orthopedic surgeon said he's also seeing emotional scars in the Tryon staffers he treats.
"It seems like every single person who comes here is hurting, psychologically," Ortiz said. "They're wearing down because they're not safe there."
Ortiz said he's been asked to testify against Tryon employees in court cases when an opposing lawyer claims "excessive restraint," but he said his physical exams don't reveal that. He said the Tryon staffers end up being the battered ones in many of physical confrontations with residents.
State Sen. Hugh T. Farley, R-Niskayuna, said Wednesday that during his meeting with Carrion Tuesday in Albany, he felt she wasn't as concerned about Tryon staff as she is with the residents' welfare.
"There seems to be a confrontation with the union there," Farley said.
Carrion wrote Monday to Civil Service Employees Association President Danny Donohue in Albany about her attempts to change the juvenile justice system in the state.
In the letter, a copy of which The Leader-Herald obtained, Carrion wrote: "Over the last year and a half, we have provided our staff with comprehensive retraining in what experts and professionals nationwide recommend as the best practices in juvenile justice."
Carrion also told Donohue she has listened to CSEA staff and incorporated their suggestions to improve retraining.
The CSEA represents staff such as youth division aides at Tryon - the front-line workers dealing with the residents.
"In this regard, I was surprised to read your quote suggesting I was not available to meet with you," Carrion wrote to Donohue. "I believe the opposite is true. I have scheduled two meetings in past six weeks with the presidents of [Public Employees Federation] and CSEA, respectively, to discuss our plans, workplace violence and partnership opportunities.
"Despite my staff's persistence, your office has been slow to respond and sent substitutes on both occasions," Carrion wrote. "I am open to work with your designees. However, I do not expect to read negative comments in the press when I do. I want an open dialogue that places a high priority on the needs of young people and the safety of all staff."
Michael Anich covers Fulton County and Johnstown. He can be reached at johnstown@leaderherald.com.
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ignoredissue
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09-06-08 11:22 AM
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It is not appreciated that you assume we don’t know what we are doing or how to do it and that you could. You would not be able to work with the policies we have to follow and no tools to do your job. You do not understand at all, you did not seek information on our situation but still felt the need to speak on it. With your “EXPERTISE” you should have known better.
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ignoredissue
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09-06-08 11:22 AM
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Commissioner Carrion has taken all staff authority away and given and given to the residents. Residents know staffs hands are tied, we have to allow a resident to punch, attack us or someone else before we can use force and the residents know that. So when staff do de-escalation the residents flat out ignore them like staff are not even talking, that actually happens all day long. Residents ignore staff directives and facility rules and say and do what ever they. Carrion has implemented “sanctuary” program where residents are never held accountable for their behavior, never. They don’t have to earn anything because everything is given to them not matter what there behavior is. They can assault, extort, intimidate, fight, riot, violate all rules, gang related incident’s and know as soon as they stop they will be in regular program with no consequences and the staff’s word is nothing and the residents is taken as the truth.
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ignoredissue
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09-06-08 11:22 AM
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We do not have the tools you talk of and we never will, no rapid response team, no electronic immobilization device, no chemical spray or anything else. All we have is de-escalation techniques and hands on physical restraint. The safety of resident and staff is always our first consideration when the use of force is required. We have one take down technique and if you do it poorly (not exactly by the book) we are fined or fired. Being under hundreds of camera’s and every use of force immediately reviewed the proper technique is almost always used. We have some extremely fit staff and others that could use a fitness program. The knee and shoulder injuries are due to having to constantly do one or two person restraint of resident who is violently resisting. From what you wrote I get the impression your rapid response team does your physical restraints and probably 4 or 5 staff to do a restraint.
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ignoredissue
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09-06-08 11:21 AM
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It is obvious your “expertise” is not from working in NY OCFS or you wouldn’t have wasted your time. Staff have no control over resident to staff ratio, it is low right now but never use to be and no one cared. You also obviously do not understand at all what our what working conditions are and the polices we are restricted by. Maybe you should search Tryon on this LH site and read all the blogs that following each article so you do fully understood our situation before you had interjected. Staff do not fear their surroundings just because they are afraid please understand that, there is a lot more to it. We have excellent staff who do there jobs professionally, several with more experience than you have stated you have. We absolutely understand youth will always look to try to undermine the weaker staff, they always have and always will. We are fully aware of the need to be alert and provide good supervision at all times, that is always done.
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ignoredissue
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09-06-08 11:21 AM
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THE REV. DON STANTON From Ocala, Fla. “Staff must be alert in detention facilities” I hope you read this since we can’t post on your Letter to the Editor for some reason.
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mandatedemployee
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08-25-08 3:55 PM
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Well said ignoredissue.
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guphiepup
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08-25-08 1:31 PM
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I am so saddened by the fact Ms. Carrion doesn't feel concern for the men and women that choose to care for these "children". It has become so bad is seems the inmates are running the facilities without any recourse for their actions. The comprehensive retraining Ms. Carrion talks about are memoes and lists of what you will and won't do. Also if Ms. carrion doesn't want to read negative things about herself she needs to change jobs, that is what happens when you take on a position of control. She can't seriously think she can get away with the ridiculous changes and not be challenged.
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wanderer10
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08-23-08 9:01 PM
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Staff appreciation month?????? What a joke - basically she wants us to "go appreciate ourselves" and let her know how it works out! Do us a favor Commissioner - appreciate us by not lying to the public about us. Stop falsely claiming that we abuse children. And, for the record, they are not your children, they are ours....all of ours. Appreciate us by letting us do our jobs. Appreciate that you may be wrong and that only a foolish woman would ignore and dismiss the quality of the workforce you seek to dismantle.
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ignoredissue
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08-23-08 7:40 PM
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Ms. Carrion we have dedicated our lives to thousands of residents at Tryon but nothing positive is ever heard about. All you have to say is everything is the staff’s fault. Poor choices of leadership and terrible implementation of procedures in the last year and a half has destroyed what we built in 40 years. Sorry for being so long but I have heard enough… ***These last 4 comments are all from heardenough, they were so good they needed to be seen again!!
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ignoredissue
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08-23-08 7:36 PM
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We just want order reinstated at the facility. There can be no treatment without there being a safe and secure environment to be treated in. Your no punishment as in never being held accountable for one’s behavior (not talking about restraining) has just created complete chaos allowing the Gang related residents to torment, intimidate, assault, violate, threaten and extort others ( yes you have gangs in your facilities). They earn there fake gang status or earn power by assaulting staff and other residents. Due to not being held accountable for it they feel free to commit those crimes in the facilities that are suppose to be helping rehabilitate them. I use to love this job, I think I still do, I just hate going through that gate everyday right now but hope to love it again soon.
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ignoredissue
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08-23-08 7:36 PM
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We took pride in running a smooth shift and enjoyed working with the residents. It’s shame the facility is in the condition it is in today, no one denies that. A lot of us know it was a thousand times better and it can be that way again. We want to be able to work with the youth and mentor them into making positive life decisions and being positive member of society. “Sanctuary” is a good idea if used right to understand and deal with individual problems. It does not mean throwing away all structure, all discipline and all accountability for one’s behavior like it was implemented in OCFS facilities. We need a strong leader who is willing to work with the staff to save the facility by creating a safe environment for all. Where the residents can let there guard down a little bit and start to focus on program again instead of all the negativity they are focusing on now. In no way does that mean in Ms. Carrion’s word’s to use brute force to control residents.
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ignoredissue
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08-23-08 7:35 PM
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Some of us have dedicated a lot of time and hard work into Tryon and don’t want to see it close.
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ignoredissue
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08-23-08 7:34 PM
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heardenough 08-22-08 12:53 AM excellent comments, it needs to be seen again! sawxfan34 I wish you would "stop, just stop" with your comments, not one you have made helps at all, actually none of this is helping! It is just making us look like a bunch of disgruntled and uncontrollable employee's who want to beat kids. At least that's the way the agency sees it and stupid comments like yours just gives them more ammo to met there agenda of closing the facility. I don't think you have anything invested into the facility so you have nothing to lose if it closes. Correct me if I'm wrong but weren't you spoiled in CSU your first few months of employment never dealing with anything thinking you were big shit. Then when you went to a unit and had to man up and control it you went out on stress leave, I think it was because the residents threw milk at you and now a few months later you are out again. Are you even off probation period yet? Some of us have dedicated a lot of time and
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beenthere2
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08-22-08 9:32 PM
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Could just be a rumor but I have heard that people have deliberatley been posing as YDA's and making ridiculous postings to make staff look bad. Please say it isn't so!!!
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heardenough
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08-22-08 5:58 PM
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DFYOCFS 08-22-08 3:51 PM - We don't need these types of posting! We are trying to save our facility and fughting for our lives like mandatedemployee said. Everyone please stop the ridicules negative post.
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mandatedemployee
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08-22-08 4:17 PM
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Very foolish DFYOCFS we are fighting for our lives!
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heardenough
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08-22-08 2:55 PM
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*******www csealocal1000 org/sept_08_ocfs.php September 2008 The Work Force If copy and paste you have to add the period where the spaces are for the link to work.
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Boathouseblues
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08-22-08 12:42 PM
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Hey, Beenthere - I'm sure Dr. Ortiz is a great guy and a great physician! Let him show his stuff and heal injuries, and let others decide about what's to be done at Tryon! Do the police stand around and conduct interviews with the paper; "Gee, there's just too much crime around!" No, they patrol the streets and try to minimize it. And if they have to do a lttle overtime to bust a crackhouse, they do their job and enjoy the overtime. They don't stand around expressing their opinions about the crackheads.
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heardenough
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08-22-08 12:31 PM
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***********csealocal1000****/sept_08_ocfs.php September 2008 The Work Force
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Goneforgood
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08-22-08 10:17 AM
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As a 25 yr. employee of OCFS, nearly 10 at Tryon, I can attest to Dr. Ortiz comments. This state of affairs is a DIRECT result of the pathetic excuse for a Commissioner, Gladys Carrion. What "extensive training" is she talking about? She must be referring to fines, suspensions and reports to the Child Abuse registry against innocent staff. She can't possibly be referring to the week we spent with the "trainers" for the infamous Sanctuary program. These folks had never stepped foot in a juvenile detention program before. They spent most of the week listening in awe at what it's like to work in our environment. They haven't been seen since. Ms. Carrion is trying despirately to make everyone but her the scapegoat in a failed program. The Agency needs a person with experience in working with juvenile delinquents and their challenges in reintegrating into society. A good Commissioner would have ASKED far more questions before deciding to "reform" the
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gottafollowprogram
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08-22-08 10:13 AM
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People want change at Tryon and I believe they are going to get it. With the closure of the facility, the local community is going to be affected financially. This is unfortunate as at one time, the facility was able to rehabilitate some of the youths and enable them to be productive when they returned home. This in turn saved taxpayers money. With the current states financial situation, the writing is on the wall. See *******ccf.state.ny.us/Initiatives/CJRelate/CJResources/Feb28Summit/EmptyBeds.pdf
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DFYOCFS
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08-22-08 10:04 AM
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I hear what the YDA's are saying I have been a YDA for many years. This is not just at Tryon it is a state issue. Lenorad Dustin, John Johnson would never have put up with this. Ms. Clarion never worked in the trenches came from a posh job with the united way of NYC. I a letter she wrote last fall she thought Western New York bordered OHIO.. I know she has never been out of her plush office of NYC untill she got the gravy train in Albany. YDA's across the state need to contact their public officals and make your voice count. Our unions CSEA and PEF can't and wont do much. Im sorry Danny D. w/CSEA runs with his tail between his legs evertime he gets confronted.
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birddie
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08-22-08 10:03 AM
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I just hope that Gov. Paterson, State Senator, Asseblymen, and other elected officials take a long look at what Ms Carrion is doing. Afterall, she is representing you and the people of New York, or should I say just the people of the NYC area. She has no corncern or passion for New York State residends north of Yonkers? She plans on taking away jobs from our area and and them making distrespectfull comments about the people that work for her in facilities. Dont beleive me, just ask some of your assemblymen and senators, read her quotes, or ask some of your facility administrators. The issues at Tryon are just a small part of what she has created. This needs to stop before more damage is done..
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beenthere2
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08-22-08 9:59 AM
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Rest of sentence should have read: Now Dr. Ortiz sees what staff are up against.
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beenthere2
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08-22-08 9:55 AM
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PS: Well said heard enough.
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