The State of Iowa has issued another fine to the Woodward Resource Center, a state-run facility for those living with intellectual disabilities. This latest citation marks the third penalty in four months for serious care deficiencies at this facility.
Pattern of Serious Care Violations Raises Alarms
The most recent fine of $4,250 was assessed on March 5, 2025, after staff failed to provide a female resident with properly prepared food despite her known choking risk. According to the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing (DIAL), Woodward staff served food that had not been cut into small, bite-size portions as required by the resident’s care plan.
The incident occurred on Christmas Eve when the resident was inappropriately served a sandwich and whole meatballs, violating the dietary restrictions designed to prevent her from choking. After she began to choke, a staff member performed the Heimlich maneuver, requiring ten abdominal thrusts before clearing her airway.
This event reported by Iowa Capital dispatch follows a larger $10,000 fine against the facility in January. This earlier incident occurred in September 2024 incident where staff found a 22-year-old resident dead. Staff on that shift failed to provide the required 15-30 minute supervision checks throughout the night. The facility’s video footage showed a gap of nearly three hours without checks.
In December 2024, the facility received yet another fine of $500. Woodward failed to report abuse despite having video footage that showed a worker forcefully pushing an 18-year-old resident backward into a recliner. The shove was strong enough to cause the resident to somersault out of the chair.
How Nursing Home Penalty Systems Work
All three recent fines against Woodward were reduced by 35 percent because the facility did not contest the citations, but the original totals amounted to nearly $15,000 in state fines.
The discounted fines are standard practice for nursing homes that waive their right to appeal a citation assessed against them. This practice is similar to early payment discounts drivers may receive for traffic tickets. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) use this approach to encourage facilities to focus on correcting deficiencies quickly, rather than fighting citations through lengthy appeals.
By accepting violations without contest, nursing homes are acknowledging the issues and agreeing to address them immediately. While discounted fines may increase efficiency and reduce administrative costs, it seems problematic in the long run. Not only do facilities face a reduced accountability, even when there are repeated violations, but they may also be putting residents at risk of immediate jeopardy.
Protecting Your Loved Ones in Care Facilities
The repeated violations at Woodward Resource Center demonstrate how vulnerable residents can suffer serious harm when facilities fail to follow basic care protocols. If your loved one has experienced nursing home neglect or abuse, we recommend you seek legal help right away.
At PKSD, we are prepared to evaluate your case at no cost to you. Our experienced nursing home abuse attorneys currently accept cases in Wisconsin, Iowa, and New Mexico. No fine, reduced or otherwise, can erase the trauma your loved one has experience. Taking legal action can help secure justice for your loved one while also helping to prevent similar incidents occurring in the future.
Let our family help yours. Call PKSD today: 414-333-3333
