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News :: Environment |
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Update: Garden With Rare Wildflowers Has Been Saved |
Current rating: 0 |
by John Hilty
Email: jhilty (nospam) shout.net (unverified!) |
14 Sep 2003
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Earlier this summer, the residential division staff of Provena Behavioral Health announced their intention to rototill a garden containing rare wildflowers. However, the CEO of this organization, Sandy Lewis, has recently overturned the decision of her subordinates during an appeal process. |
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#file_1#
During early June, I received a letter from the residential division of Provena Behavioral Health that my wildflower garden would be destroyed later this year. This letter did not provide any reason why the garden would be rototilled under and replaced with turf grass. This garden contains about 50 species of prairie wildflowers, including such rare species as Royal Catchfly (Silene regia), Prairie Hyacinth (Camassia angusta), and Large-Flowered Penstemon (Penstemon grandiflorus). I posted an article at this website that described my concerns at the time. In response to the letter, I decided to file a grievance over this matter using the client ombudsperson of Provena Behavioral Health, Linda Baker. The ombudsperson discussed my grievance with the head of the residential division, Sheila Ferguson, but Ms. Ferguson continued to insist that my wildflower garden would no longer be allowed at the apartment complex where I live. At the next level of the grievance procedure, the ombudsperson presented my grievance to members of the Clinical Review Team. However, they refused to issue a judgment on the grievance because it didn't involve "clinical issues." At the final level of the grievance procedure, the ombudsperson presented my grievance to Sandy Lewis, the CEO of Provena Behavioral Health. Ms. Lewis visited the site of the wildflower garden while being accompanied by an expert on prairie wildflowers. This expert was Ruth Green, a former president of Grand Prairie Friends.
As a result of this inspection and further discussion with the relevant parties, Ms. Lewis proposed moving the plants closest to the apartment building to a vacant area that is adjacent to where the wildflower garden is already located. She expressed the concern that the tall vegetation could harbor insects that may enter the apartment building. She stated her belief that the residential staff did not want to destroy my wildflower garden because they had a "grudge" against me. I have my doubts about this, because if this is true, then why didn't they propose moving the garden a little further from the building, like Ms. Lewis? Furthermore, various kinds of tall vegetation have existed at this site for a number of years (both vegetables and wildflowers), and yet the residential staff expressed no concerns about insects.
I thought the proposal of Sandy Lewis was reasonable as it involved only a minor alteration in the current location of the garden, and the relocation of the plants closest to the building seemed feasible to me. Therefore, I accepted her offer, and the wildflower garden has been saved!
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Re: Update: Garden With Rare Wildflowers Has Been Saved |
by 5
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
14 Sep 2003
Modified: 11:29:11 AM |
Congratulations! I'm am just sorry that you had to work so hard to receive a little commonsense solution.
On the response from the Clinical Review Team that the wildflower garden is a clinical matter, I would disagree. This activity seems like it would have an amazing amount of therapeutic benefit. Perhaps, however, it is not one that is currently prescribed by our medical establishment---although art therapy and play therapy are.
Just my two cents. |
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Correction |
by 5
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
16 Sep 2003
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My post *should* say "...that the wildflower garden is *not* a clinical matter,..."
Sorry for the confusion. |
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Gardening Therapy |
by 5
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
16 Sep 2003
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Channel 3 news ran a story on Tuesday about horticulture/plant therapy. Perhaps the Clinical Review Team needs a "refresher" seminar. |
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Re: Update: Garden With Rare Wildflowers Has Been Saved |
by John Hilty
jhilty (nospam) shout.net (unverified) |
Current rating: 0
16 Sep 2003
Modified: 05:41:26 PM |
I was somewhat surprised when the Clinical Review Team refused to issue a decision in response to my grievance. Personally, I think they were ducking the issue -- they didn't want to overturn Ms. Ferguson's decision, but they also didn't want to go on record as approving the destruction of a wildflower garden. Therefore, they used the lame excuse that clinical issues aren't involved here, and refused to issue a decision.
This is especially ironic when one considers that Provena Behavioral Health has programs that are funded under the State Medicaid Plan -- namely, psychosocial rehabilitation services -- that involve recreational activities and art therapy. I've exhibited some of my wildflower photographs at their annual art show in the past, and a Provena official has asked me if I would provide a guided tour of the wildflowers in Meadowbrook Park and similar places for one of their recreational programs.
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