Reaching out to people with disabilities in closed institutions

Image Source: Ministry website

It seems Israel's Ministry of Justice means business. 

I just read the questionnaire it has disseminated in simple language for the cognitively impaired. It is clear that the Ministry is now seriously pursuing abuse and neglect in institutions for people with disabilities - which, by the way, includes ALEH and ADI.

The questionnaire, which I mentioned in my last post [March of the ministers, January 9, 2021], asks pointed questions (which I have translated to English). 

Here are a few:

Do you feel safe in your residential framework?
Responses:
Yes

No

Don't know

When something happens in your framework that bothers/upsets/disturbs you, are you comfortable approaching someone in order to complain?
Responses:
Yes

No

Sometimes - there are times that I do and times that I don't.

If something in the framework upsets you, whom do you usually approach to complain? (Mark all the answers that are appropriate).
My family
The social worker in the framework
The director of the framework
The supervisor of the framework
Someone in the Ministry of Welfare
The social worker in the municipality
The parents committee of the residents in the framework
A social organization (for example Bizchut, Akim) or to a private lawyer
The Commission of Equal Rights for People with Disabilities
Someone else (write here to whom)

Has this happened to you?
My room was in bad shape/condition (for example, there was broken furniture).
Someone from the staff hit you (hurt you on your body)
Someone from the staff insulted you or cursed you
They tied you to a bed or they left you in locked room.
Someone on the staff took some of your personal things (for instance, your telephone)

Responses:
It happened to me and I complained
It happened to me and I didn't complain
It didn't happen to me

Has this happened to you?
They don't keep your apartment or framework clean
They don't keep you or your body clean
They don't include you in decisions about yourself
They didn't allow your family members to go into your room during visits (before Corona)

Responses:
It happened to me and I complained
It happened to me and I did complain
It didn't happen to me

Did you ever complain about something else? 

(Write here what you complained about. You don't have to answer.)

How much did the one who took care of your complaint listen to you?
Responses:
Listened closely
Didn't listen so much
Didn't listen at all

Did they solve the problem you complained about?
Yes
No

. . .

Here's hoping the existence of this questionnaire will serve as a deterrent to the staff of those institutions. But that would only be a step in the right direction.

We can't abandon the ultimate goal: putting these institutions in our rear view mirrors.

Perhaps, when scrutiny, transparency and enforcement of the law - of which this questionnaire is one example - spreads, the appeal of them evil will wane. And the rights of people with disabilities to remain with their families and in the community will be respected.