About Bernadette
Rhode Island has committed one of the MOST EGREGIOUS Civil Rights violations in their state. In addition, they have VIOLATED MULTIPLE levels of PATIENT RIGHTS afforded ALL citizens in hospitals and nursing facilities In the United states. 

 As a devout Catholic who attended mass daily, Bernadette missed the opportunity to witness the Pope's historic visit this past September, a trip she was supposed to make with family.  She also missed birthdays and other MAJOR milestones including Thanksgiving during her "Forced" incarceration.

Fatima Hospital locked out family members on November 7th, after Bernadette made an attempt to gain her freedom. She called the family and requested to "Go Home." Fatima Hospital was alerted of the recorded phone conversation, but continued to VIOLATE Bernadette's Patient RIGHTS and privileges. Another patient corroborated that what was happening to Bernadette happened to her. Bernadette had requested on NUMEROUS occasions to Fatima Hospital staff that she wanted to "Go Home!" Fatima Hospital has RESTRICTED Bernadette's phone privileges. It has been over one month since the family heard from Bernadette. Fatima has failed to respond to numerous correspondences.

Fatima Hospital left a voice message for family on October 27, 2015 of their intention to seek Guardianship over Bernadette. This was an ILLEGAL ATTEMPT to PERMANENTLY lock Bernadette up in a nursing home in Rhode Island. The family received NO WRITTEN notification, which Fatima Hospital, by law must do. In addition, they falsely filed for MEDICAID benefits in Rhode Island, AFTER they were DENIED payment by Bernadette's insurance company for NON-MEDICAL procedures. Bernadette does NOT WANT or wish to remain in Rhode Island. This was made VERY clear to Fatima staff on NUMEROUS occasions.
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We are ALL in jeopardy of losing our PROTECTED RIGHTS if what is going on with Bernadette is IGNORED. What is happening to Bernadette is by no means an "Isolated incident." The TOTAL disregard for Patient Rights and their civil liberties IS Rhode Island's "Dirty Little Secret."

RHODE ISLAND sends a CLEAR message that if you are old and have Dementia, you have NO rights and will end up in one of the countless OVER-CROWDED Dementia or Psych wards.
for_immediate_release_12-10-15.pdf
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loveS to play the organ / sings / paintS  / walkS to church every morning / craves her independence / loves her FAMILY / shops & cooks / living with early dementia

SYNOPSIS:
​Rhode Island has now "Incarcerated" Bernadette for FIVE (5) months, WITHOUT DUE PROCESS and NO access to family members. The Department of Elderly Affairs (DEA) continues to move her from facility to facility in an attempt to HIDE her whereabouts and lock her up on a permanent basis. We have be tracking various sources.

The DEA CONTROLS the Rhode Island Bar Association; the Police and; the Governor's office. This was OBVIOUS when NO GOVERNMENT official wanted to step in and help; but ONLY provided "Lip service" to family members. CITIZENS cannot use the PRO BONO service of the Bar associate if it is a DEA matter since the DEA owns them.

Bernadette was taken from her home on August 14, 2015 and languished at Westerly Hospital under "Falsified" admissions record of "Wandering," which NEVER occurred. Westerly failed to keep up with her hygiene and nutritional needs and; could not answer "Simple" investigative questions on either hygiene or nutritional care of patients. They CIRCUMVENTED her legally authorized Durable Power of Attorney and kept family members away.

Westerly Hospital then moved Bernadette on August 25, 2015, without informing family members, to Coventry Nursing & Rehab, where she was abused (photos). She was placed there by the DEA and Alliance for Better Long Term Care. Shortly after the abuse, Coventry moved her to Our Lady of Fatima Hospital (Fatima Hospital) on September 28, 2015. Family was not notified.
The Department of Elderly Affairs (DEA) in Rhode Island is CHIEFLY to blame. 
An overzealous state agency is NOT what the people of Rhode Island deserve. A state without checks and balances is a MARTIAL law state, wth NO order and NO accountability. The DEA continues to SEPARATE Bernadette from her family and VIOLATE her CIVIL RIGHTS...WITH THE APPROVAL of Governor Gina Raimondo and the State Senate, in particular constituent representative Al Green III.
The Family wants FULL transparency and believe the PUBLIC and the CITIZENS of RHODE ISLAND have a right to know what is going on with their state, their government, their agencies and; IMPORTANTLY their TAX DOLLARS! THE DEA is a state run institution. The Governor appoints its Director. 
 The following government institutions, hospitals, nursing facility and; individuals should be pursued for CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY: CIVIL RIGHTS & PATIENT RIGHTS VIOLATIONS.

In the Military we believe in "Direct order," UNLESS that order infringes upon the rights of others and EGREGIOUSLY violates BASIC HUMAN DECENCY. A refusal of such an order, even at a great personal sacrifice, and reporting it to the Chain of Command and/or proper authority, is the RIGHT decision. These following individuals and institutions went along with the STATUS QUO and REFUSED to Do the RIGHT THING. They, along with others, should be held accountable and responsible for their actions and INACTIONS. 

Rhode Island CAN DO BETTER than these criminal elements in our midst. HUMAN RIGHTS/PATIENT RIGHTS VIOLATION and "FALSE IMPRISONMENT," even at hospitals and nursing homes IS A CRIME.

DEPARTMENT OF ELDERLY AFFAIRS:
The RING LEADERS; egregious crimes against the elderly and U.S. Citizens. Acts WITHOUT "Checks and Balances," sanctioned by Governor's office. Spreads lies and FALSE information, WITHOUT ANY evidence or proof. NEVER admits to their mistakes and continues to perpetrate a GREAT BIG LIE.
THE DEMENTED: Charles Fogarty (Director), Karen Corriea, Mary Ann Ciano

TRI-TOWN COMMUNITY ACTION:
Caught lying; spreading information that were untrue and unfounded; reported to supervisor for unethical practices. Email evidence of wrong doing available.
THE WICKED: Denise Aguiar

GOVERNOR'S OFFICE:
This RHODE ISLAND state office is NOT interested in the issues of "ORDINARY CITIZENS." This governor's FAILURE to act appropriately is enough to make all of us who are Democrats TURN REPUBLICAN! NEVER responded to four (4) separate correspondences sent to their office.
THE ABSENT: Governor Gina Raimondo.

STATE SENATE CONSTITUENT OFFICE:
Lied about their "TRUE" role; offered to help; gathered information from family, then LOCKED THEM OUT of a meeting that he NEVER informed family members about. FAILURE to RESPOND after three (3) emails. The "Lie" was so EGREGIOUS. Al Green III, during one of the phone calls, stated to the family that Bernadette "Should be enjoying the sunshine soon" by December. It's January ASSHOLE! Al Green III continued to say on a second phone call that there office "Can only do so much!" RIGHT, another STUPID "talking head" who FAILED as a computer guy.
THE "TALKING HEADS": Al Green III, Dino Autiello, John Baxter

OUR LADY OF FATIMA HOSPITAL:
A mass coverup; FAILURE to respond; Caught lying; Inept system that violated Bernadette's REPEATED requests to be discharged. Changed their story three (3) times about Bernadette's dementia test results. Performed the test IN English, NOT Korean (Bernadette's native language). 
THE PATHETIC: Thomas Hughes (President), Dr. Wajahat Faheem, Rachel Legend (Psych ward supervisor), Holly Perry (case worker), Jackie Fernandez (nurse), Joyce Harkley (Risk Management)

COVENTRY NURSING & REHAB / GENESIS HEALTHCARE:
Bernadette was Physically abused on her watch. Family NOT notified. FAILURE to respond to physical abuse photographs taken on September 30, 2015. Failure to provide documentation to investigators regarding the abuse. Documents omitted.
NURSE RATCHED: Sue Howard (Unit Manager)

ALLIANCE FOR BETTER LONG TERM CARE:
Offered to help the family, under false pretense, then pushed paperwork to permanently commit Bernadette to Coventry Nursing & Rehab, which she recommended to the Department of Elderly Affairs.
THE INTERLOPER: Donna Lonschein (Ombudsman)

WESTERLY HOSPITAL:
Falsified medical admissions records; Lied of about discharge; EGREGIOUS violation of patient rights; CIRCUMVENTED family's "LEGITIMATE" Durable Power of Attorney. Violation of General Law § 23-4.10-11. LOCKED POA from obtaining discharge records. FAILED to correct FALSIFIED medical admissions record. FAILURE to respond. 
THE CORRUPTED: Rita Gonzalez MD (admissions), Anna Pelchat (case worker), Linda Prizito (case worker), Maurice "Mo" Parker (Safety Officer). In addition Sarah (ED nurse), Crystal (RN) and; Tammy in registrations worked under a false premise WITHOUT fact checking. Anabelle Chad failed to respond back.

LAWRENCE & MEMORIAL:
Turned a BLIND EYE, after repeated attempts to reach them. FAILURE to respond.
THE GREEDY: Bruce Cummings (President), William Stanley (Development & Community Relations), Maureen Anderson (General Counsel)

OCEAN STATE URGENT CARE (DR. ROCCO ANDREOZZI)
If you want a caring and pro-active physician DON'T go here. The only good thing about this place was "Liz" a physician's assistant who worked for Chris Anderson R.N. She "Mysteriously" disappeared while working on the Westerly Hospital case for the family. Otherwise, this office would not lift ONE finger to help Bernadette during her EGREGIOUS "Forced" INCARCERATION at Westerly Hospital. Then ALL the coverups began, including "Liz decided to go back to school" to "Liz decided to take another opportunity." The stories just did not add up. The family had worked with Liz since November 2014. LIz did not have a habit of just taking off without a word and; she was an excellent communicator too. IF Liz decided to leave, she DEFINITELY would have contacted Bernadette's POA.

Ocean State Urgent Care coverup gets weirder. On November 10, 2015, the Family POA for Bernadette requested medical files to be sent to Bernadette's new doctor. According to Rhode Island General Laws, 31-5-41 R.I. Code R. 11 and 5-37-22, they had up to thirty (30) days in which to send it. Bernadette's new doctor's office reported back that as of December 8, 2015, they had not received any files. On December 9, 2015, the family contacted another "Liz," who was listed as contact for medical records. She could not tell the family what happened to the medical records, if they were sent out or their current status. She passed the buck to another person, "Linda" who just happened to be not around that day. In addition, "Liz" was absolutely clueless about the general laws and erroneously stated they had up to one year to send the medical records. She was dully corrected by the family.

UPDATE: Bernadette's new physician's office said they received the faxed medical records, at the 11th hour of the thirty (30) days compliance. It took two calls and quoting of the Rhode Island General laws to get Ocean State Urgent Care to take ownership. In addition, Ocean State Urgent Care stated on November 10, 2015, they "Did not fax medical records." They only mailed them; so in essence, they LIED. They could have faxed the medical records if they chose to do so.

How can you help

We accept any relevant pro bono support such as legal services, referral services and/or person-to-person introductions. We also ask that you bombard Rhode Island Governor's office, Senate, elected officials and the media in your area. Click the TAKE ACTION button for direct email address to President of the State Senate.

We DO NOT accept monetary contributions.

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You can also write a note to Bernadette. We will try our very best to get them to her. 

Thank you all! Bernadette deserves to live a FULL life for as long as she could manage it.

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