New Information On Investigation Into Abuse Allegations At Enid Care Facility

The Greer Center is a treatment facility for adults with intellectual disabilities and mental illnesses. The center is under investigation for allegations of systematic client abuse facilitated by Greer Center employees.

Wednesday, December 6th 2023, 12:45 pm

By: News 9

ENID, Okla. -

The Department of Human Services held a press conference Wednesday morning with more information on the investigation into abuse allegations at a residential treatment facility.

Oklahoma Human Services along with Liberty, a contractor that operates and manages the Greer Center, are working on a remediation plan.

Six former Liberty employees have been arrested. Police say some of them used a bedsheet to choke a client until he passed out, then beat him until he regained consciousness.

They also allegedly used food to bribe one patient into beating another patient, according to court documents.

Oklahoma Human Services says eight staff members have been fired, the facility administrator has resigned and four staff members have been suspended.

The Greer Center is now being monitored 24-7 by Developmental Disabilities Services, according to OHS. Liberty sends daily reports to OHS, which includes any new allegations of maltreatment and information on new staff and their credentials. Greer Center employees have received refresher training on reporting abuse and neglect, according to OHS.

Trauma counseling and therapeutic services have been offered to Greer Center residents and their families, OHS says.

The Greer Center has also halted all new admissions, according to OHS.

Oklahoma Human Services says it received the first allegation in April. The agency’s Office of Client Advocacy has since had several investigations. But OHS says they initially believed the allegations were isolated incidents.

Some are asking why it took months for OHS to uncover the alleged problems.

“That is going to be the question that I think we’re all asking for a long time to come,” Director of OHS Deb Shropshire said. “And why it’s so critical that not only are we conducting our investigation thoroughly, but collaborating with these other entities that are. Because there will be a day when I think we better understand what happened and what needs to be done. It’s not yet.”

Oklahoma Human Services says a Greer Center employee told Enid police about the alleged abuse in Oct., which is how OHS learned these were not isolated incidents.