Nebraska DHHS sued by developmental disability service provider

A Nebraska service provider for adults with developmental disabilities is suing the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.

Integrated Life Choices is alleging DHHS violated due process and separation of powers and is seeking injunctive relief in Lancaster County District Court.

At question is a new safety training program called The Mandt System, which will be costly for Integrated Life Choices, its attorney Allsion Daniel said.

“It’s going to cost over $200,000, kind of semi-annually, to implement this program and maintain the certifications,” Daniel said.

A large portion of that estimate includes the loss of a $100,000 program implemented by Integrated Life Choices four years ago. That program was designed at the department’s request, Daniel said.

The new system comes with a large time burden as well.

“What they need now is all of their trainers to go through the Mandt System and then to fully train their staff,” Daniel said. “I mean, it’s not exactly a fine but it’s still punitive in the sense that they had to abandon their existing program.”

It costs $3,000 per trainer every two years to be certified, she said. Annual fees by Mandt and the man-hours lost by personnel traveling across the state to train other employees add up to a large setback for her client, Daniel said.

Mandt is a one-size-fits-all approach where it shouldn’t be, Daniel said. The new system requires Integrated Life Choices to prepare for child safety incidents, even though it exclusively works with adults.

Daniel added the department didn’t follow proper public comment procedure required for a "substantial" mandate.

Integrated Life Choices operate facilities in Omaha, Lincoln, Grand Island, Norfolk and Scottsbluff.

A DHHS spokesperson said the department is unable to comment on pending litigation and did not respond to follow-up questions about its new training system, in time for publication.