Long-running Russell Home in danger of being shut down over licensing

ORLANDO, Fla. — A home that’s cared for severely disabled children and adults for decades is at risk of being shut down by the state in a fight over paperwork.

Two dozen people live at The Russell Home for Atypical Children in Orlando, and it’s been in operation for more than 60 years, but now licensing requirements could take it away.

The Agency for Health Care Administration, or ACHA, has put the facility on notice, saying it must define a service or face fines and ultimately closure.

“This is a pillar in the community and there’s nothing else like it, and that’s part of the problem,” said board member Mike Haag.

The services are so broad and the residents have so many different needs, the home doesn’t fit into a single category by the state.

The Russells said while they haven’t had a state license, they have operated under extensive oversight from various agencies, including state-appointed guardians and case managers.

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The people who run the home said the proof is in the paperwork.

For everyone being cared for at the home, there’s a file that includes hundreds of forms that show every aspect of their care is constantly reviewed.

“Nobody needs to tell us who we can and we can’t take, as long as we’re doing it the right way, and we are doing it the right way,” said Betty Turner, who takes care of brain-damaged children at the home.

Workers at the home hope for a modified license or an exemption—anything that will allow them to run as they have from the very beginning.

The state says by law, The Russell Home needs a license to continue operation.

Cox Media Group