Restraining order filed against Fort Scott Manor; residents to be relocated

A restraining order has been filed in Bourbon County District Court against the owners and operators of a local nursing facility.

The ex parte restraining order, filed May 15 by the Kansas Department of Aging and Disability Services, is to keep the owners of Fort Scott Manor, identified as DJKIERL, Inc., of Mound City, from operating the facility and requests that operation of the facility be turned over to KDADS Secretary Timothy E. Keck, who applied for the temporary order. Respondents in the civil case are DJKIERL, Inc., Jan Kierl and Fort Scott Manor. Court documents cite several deficient practices and conditions at the facility.

Angela d Rocha, communications director for KDADS, said Wednesday the facility is “not closed yet, but will be closing.”

“The restraining order from the district court restrains the current operator from continuing to operate the facility,” she said.

Following the filing and the court’s granting of the order, KDADS took over the facility last week. Officials with KDADS gave the residents and their family members a 30-day notice of the facility closing and have asked other area nursing homes to help facilitate transfer of residents.

“They’re relocating the patients,” d Rocha said. “We don’t just arbitrarily close places down. It’s their home so we work to try to find them another place that can be their home.”

When the Tribune call the Fort Scott Manor Tuesday, an individual said the facility is “not closed down” but declined further comment.

See the print or online edition for complete story.