The Ohio Department of Mental Health and the Ohio Attorney General’s Office have decided to voluntarily dismiss a lawsuit they filed against a Chardon-based assisted-living facility.
A 5 On Your Side Investigation found the filing earlier this month that aimed to shut down Joy’s Place off of Mayfield Road.
RELATED: State of Ohio says assisted-living facility in Chardon should be shut down, business says no way
The Ohio Department of Mental Health conducted inspections in January and noted issues with care and cleanliness in court documents. Joy’s Place attorney Mary Jane Trapp consistently maintained the facility has always been safe for its residents.
Here’s the statement from the Ohio Department of Mental Health:
The Attorney General, along with OhioMHAS, did voluntarily dismiss the lawsuit against Joy’s Place. The lawsuit was intended to immediately close the facility due to health and safety concerns. Joy’s Place has since provided evidence that they have addressed the immediate health and safety concerns. With those concerns addressed we voluntarily dismissed the lawsuit for immediate closure. However, we are continuing to investigate what we see as systemic issues with Joy’s Place.
Here's what Joy’s Place attorney Mary Jane Trapp said:
We are pleased to see the Department of Mental Health and the Ohio Attorney General’s Office listened to our presentation. We are now working through the administrative process to assure the families, the community, and the public that Joy’s Place is safe for clients.
Concerns in the inspections were addressed. On Monday, we will sit down with representatives from the Department of Mental Health and the Attorney General’s Office to walk through each one of the obligations.
The lawsuit was dismissed “without prejudice,” which in legal terms means the state could refile the lawsuit. Trapp told News 5 she does not anticipate that happening.
Here is a copy of the dismissal:
