Assemblywoman Previte (Camden-D) announced yesterday that a 16 year old at Bancroft NeuroHealth committed suicide. The Camden County Prosecutor's office is investigating.

Despite parents groups' continuing insistance there were still major problems at Bancroft NeuroHealth, and the loss of Bancroft's CARF accrediation, Commisioner Lacy decided Bancroft was now in compliance.

The State of New Jersey stopped admitting children under their care to Bancroft NeuroHealth when the deficiency report came out last spring. Since that time, NJ has removed all children under their care to other facilities. School districts were given the option of removing children in their districts. Even though the State considered the children in the Dunhill group home, run by Bancroft NeuroHealth were in imminent danger due to fire safety concerns, the children were not removed from the group home, the State gave the group home a provisional license.

Bancroft's actions were: the CEO of Bancroft NeuroHealth resigned effective January 2, 2003 for personal reasons; hiring the AUS Inc. lobbying firm to intervene with State Legislators, agencies and press and change the job titles of staff who were working under fraudulent job titles. Their lawyers wrote cease and desist letters to parents making their concerns heard to the same legislators, agencies, and press. Legislators who refused to meet with the lobbyists were coerced into meeting with them by their own party officials.

One has to wonder at the current claim of suicide. Typically, only the individuals most seriously involved with autism are placed in residential facilities. Would such a person be cognizant enough to commit suicide? If in the event this truly was a suicide, it is an obvious case of neglect for letting this happen. Where is the press to unearth the details? Bancroft has a long history of covering up what happens within their facilities. They also have been told to change the policy/habit of not calling 911 in the cases of an emergency. They have had assistance in their cover-ups from the Camden County Prosecutor's Office. Although Bancroft NeuroHealth (a not-for-profit agency) tries to keep the names of their board members private, Lee Solomon, former Camden County Prosecutor is a former member of Bancroft's Board, as is the sister of former County Prosecutor, former deputy state prosecutor Kathryn Flicker a board member. Bancroft's present attorney firm (Archer and Greiner), the one threatening the concerned parents with cease and desist notices, is the former head of long-term care and licensing- who granted Bancroft licenses to run when in that position.