Fairview Developmental Center
The Fairview center in Orange County is the newest of California's large institutions for the developmentally disabled, opening in 1959. It was built to house thousands of patients and features a power plant, auditorium and industrial kitchen.
An example from state records
On Feb. 22, 2009, a 15-year-old female patient was strangled with a cord around her neck, according to Matt Murphy, a senior deputy district attorney for Orange County, and John Norris III, the victim's uncle and closest relative. The patient, Danisha Smith, also suffered stab wounds in her chest. Smith died of anoxic encephalopathy (brain swelling) the next day at the Children's Hospital of Orange County. Prosecutors have charged another patient – Latina Ford, who was 16 at the time of the assault – with premeditated murder in the case. Murphy and Norris provided details of the assault to California Watch. The state Department of Public Health has not included the death in its incident data or issued a citation to Fairview for the assault. See court filing.
Abuse reports at Fairview
Fairview has one of the lowest rates of confirmed patient abuse (fewer than 1 per 100 patients in 2010). Fairview's rate of unexplained injuries, 5.6 per 100 patients in 2010, is less than half the systemwide rate, 12.6 per 100 patients.*
Fairview population
Fairview's population might level off following years of decline as it takes on patients from Lanterman, which is slated to close during the next three years.
*The state's Health Facilities Consumer Information System came into its current form in 2008, and it's unclear if the data are complete before then.
Sources: California Department of Public Health, Health Facilities Consumer Information System
Interactive by Agustin Armendariz and Michael Corey. Reporting by Ryan Gabrielson.
