Onorato Stands By Decision to Fire Shuman Guards

Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato says he still supports the decision to fire eight Shuman Center employees after it was alleged they were not making proper bed checks. An arbitrator ruled this week that the employees should be given their jobs back and awarded them all but five days back pay. Those five days were to cover what the arbitrator says would have been a five-day suspension. County executive Dan Onorato says the decision was made in part because the arbitrator felt the workers were following past practices. Onorato says it is now clear that moving forward “it is a new day in the county” and the old rules are no longer in place. Onorato brought in current Shuman Director William “Jack” Simons to “clean up the Shuman” and he says this is just some of the push back and anger that can be expected when sweeping changes are made. He says despite being overturned the decision to fire the workers, “sent a clear message that such activities will not be tolerated and the county is willing to take swift and strong action when needed.” Onorato says the county is now in a much stronger position going forward.
The guards will have to go through training as if they were new hires. They were off the job for more than four months.

Shuman Center Reinstatements

Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato says he still thinks terminating eight Shuman Center employees was the appropriate action, even though an arbitrator has reinstated them. He says changes have been made at the center and improvements will continue. The county will not appeal the arbitrator's decision.

Onorato Still Being Briefed on Latest Shuman Problem

An investigation has been launched into the alleged assault of a male resident at the Shuman Juvenile Detention Center at the hands of a guard. Allegheny County police and the state Department of Public Welfare are conducting the investigation. The resident claims the guard smashed his head against a wall. He first reported the incident to his court appointed lawyer just before a hearing. He was transported to the hospital for treatment. Allegheny County executive Dan Onorato says he has not yet gotten the details of the incident from center Director William Simmons. He says right now it is too early to say what will happen with the employee but he says his “track record shows I will not tolerate misbehavior.” The Post Gazette reports the guard has been "taken off the schedule" and is not being paid while the investigation continues but the director says there is no evidence at this time to support the victim’s claim. The allegation is just the latest in a long string of problems at the center. Onorato says Simmons came into a tough situation and is trying to make some changes. He says he fully supports the new director. Onorato is backing off his previous threat to close the center. He says, “ that probable got a few people nervous about it.” He says, “Our goal is to run the best facility the state can possible run, and lets just say that we will make what ever changes need to be made and Director Simmons has been doing it.”

Shuman Receives Full License

After operating on a provisional license from the Pennsylvania Department of Public Health for the last 6 months, Shuman Juvenile Detention Facility has now received a full license. The facility's full license was revoked in June when an inspection unveiled concerns about understaffing, overcrowding, insufficient medical records and building management. An August inspection showed that those same problems had not yet been remedied. However, according to Stacy Witalec, spokesperson for the Public Health Department, a December 2 inspection showed a "complete overhaul" of the facility and its staff. Witalec says all of Shuman's problems have been corrected or are planned on being corrected in the near future.

Shuman Center Transfers to Begin in October

The first transfer of residents from the Shuman Juvenile Detention Center in Lincoln-Lemington to the Auberle Home in McKeesport will most likely occur in October, when facilities will be ready to receive up to 24 young people awaiting their juvenile court hearings.

Shuman Executive Director Jack Simmons says transfer selection criteria have been crafted with the goal of assuring the safety of both residents and the community. Only younger, low-risk, first-time offenders will go to Auberle, where there is less security. Juveniles who have escaped from other facilities or stand accused of serious offenses will not be eligible.

Although housing some residents at Auberle may save money in the long run, Simmons says the primary reason for the move is to address overcrowding at Shuman, which has been a long-standing problem.

The Shuman residents transferred will be in the charge of Auberle employees, but their regimen will be identical to that at Shuman, according to Simmons.