Columnist’s work is misleading
Mr. Rice may have had good intentions, but his investigative reporting was far from comprehensive. In his story “Riveredge facility has a long way to go,” May 19, 2009, Mr. Rice discusses historic issues at Riveredge and implies he and I recently discussed those issues. Unfortunately, Mr. Rice’s information is a bit dated.
Our discussion took place nearly a year ago when I had only recently assumed my position. At that time I was engaged in evaluating every aspect of Riveredge’s operations. A year later I would have been happy to provide extensive detail on the improvements we have made, had he chosen to call prior to writing his story.
Riveredge Hospital is the first to admit we face challenging issues everyday. As providers of behavioral health services, we treat some of the area’s most vulnerable patients. Our mission to provide safe and compassionate care remains strong and tremendous efforts have been made over the past year to ensure that our facility, services and programming achieve high standards.
Specifically, Riveredge Hospital has strengthened both its administrative and clinical teams with new employees and newly created positions. Our staff has participated in more than 5,300 hours of training in the past year to enhance patient care.
Enhancements have been made including more thorough intake and assessment procedures to identify high-risk patients. Patient monitoring protocols have been improved. We have implemented advanced clinical treatment approaches to personalize patient services.
Capital investments in the facility in 2008 and 2009 will total approximately $3.4 million. These improvements include modernization of several patient units, conversion to private rooms, and updated security and safety features.
Riveredge Hospital is committed to providing quality care in a safe therapeutic environment. I invite Mr. Rice for a visit and am confident he will find great progress.
We take our business and the needs of our patients very seriously. Joking about mental illness in a newspaper article is highly inappropriate to say the least.
Carey E. Carlock
Chief Executive Officer, Riveredge Hospital
Editor’s note: The interview used in Rice’s column was conducted in September 2008. There were no subsequent discussions. Also, efforts to contact the chief of the Forest Park Police Department were not sufficient. The Review regrets these errors and offers this public apology to Riveredge Hospital, Carey Carlock and to the police department.
Generous community
On behalf of the Forest Park Food Pantry, I want to express our sincere appreciation to the Forest Park letter carriers local 825 and Flavour Cooking School for all the hard work collecting food for our pantry.
The support of local businesses, organizations and our residents enable our pantry and community center to provide food boxes throughout the year to needy residents. Without the help of all these generous people, and many others throughout the whole year, we would not be able to provide the much-needed assistance to the many people who look to us for help.
Thank you to all!
Karen Dylewski
Director, Howard Mohr Community Center
Curb cuts: vote yes!
Are you tired by the lack of your property’s water run-off?
Endlessly bothered that squirrels give you the “hairy eyebrow?” Even on Sundays?
Are you continually perplexed why old trees force us to have shade?
Citizens, be heard and rise.
Tell officials “pave paradise, and put up a parking lot.”
Michael Garman
Forest Park
Basket full of thanks
On behalf of the All School Picnic Committee, we would like to take this opportunity to thank the Chamber of Commerce and Development, the village, the park district and all Forest Park schools for their continued support in providing a fun-filled day of activities for this year’s 36th Annual Bob Haeger All School Picnic.
The committee would like to thank the PTOs and PTAs of the public and private schools for their annual donations that help offset the costs associated with the picnic. We would also like to express our appreciation to the Veterans of Foreign Wars Memorial Post 7181 for their financial contribution. These donations, along with the chamber’s annual financial support and cooperation from Mother Nature in the weather department, helped make this year’s event a huge success.
A very special thank you to Ferrara Pan Candy Company and the Forest Park Community Education Council for their generous donations that helped offset the cost of this year’s entertainment. All of the children who enjoyed the free pony rides can be thankful to these special friends of the All School Picnic. Thank you, too, to Byron’s Hot Dogs for the wonderful hot dogs for the event, and to Brown Cow Ice Cream Parlor.
In addition, we are grateful to Nadeau’s Ice Sculptures for their annual donation of two 300-pound blocks of ice used to ice down the 3,000 cans of soda, and to Allied Waste Services for their generous donation of the 20-yard roll-off dumpster that is used for cleanup.
We would also like to thank the police and fire departments for their continued cooperation and assistance, and also, all of the volunteers that helped in the food distribution, ticket sales, supervision, recreational activities and entertainment. They, along with the school teachers, are the backbone of this operation. Without that group of dedicated workers, an event of this size could not be accomplished.
Finally, our hats are off to the village employees of the public works and public property departments. They, along with the crews from the park district and school district maintenance staffs, performed that often thankless job of picking up after the others. Within an hour everything was picked up, put away and the park grounds were back in shape. The committee would like to thank everyone involved in any way for their continued support and cooperation.
Larry Piekarz and Beth Kovacic
Co-Chairs, All School Picnic Committee
