A desire to help others brought Forte Residential into existence in 1992, but a step outside the limits of its abilities threatened to shut it down in February.

That threat has now passed, with the dismissal of a lawsuit that was filed in Kosciusko Circuit Court. The case sought an injunction against the residential service provider, alleging it was operating as a home health care agency without proper licensing.

"It was never our intent to do anything illegal," said Thomas Van Meter, owner of Forte Residential, Syracuse. "There was a set of circumstances that were unfortunate."

In fact, the agency was attempting to help a muscular dystrophy patient remain in her own home when the investigation by the Indiana State Department of Health began, according to Van Meter.

Van Meter said the 29-year-old Kimmell woman was being cared for by her mother, with part-time assistance from Forte Residential, when the woman's mother suffered a debilitating illness. Forte Residential stepped in to provide 24-hour care for the woman until something else could be worked out for her. At one point during the interim care, the woman stopped breathing and the care provider sought emergency assistance. The woman spent the next 2-1/2 months being shuttled among six hospitals and a nursing home before Forte Residential was able to get her back into her own home.

Van Meter said they tried to help her and got permission for what they were doing "every step of the way." Van Meter admits that the care the woman received was outside the scope of their activities, but said that the woman's "life was never in danger."

The care Forte Residential provided for the woman was through an Medicaid aged and disabled waiver. The business, which operates in Kosciusko, Noble, Whitley, Allen and LaGrange counties, contracts with the state Bureau of Developmental Disabilities to provide residence-based attendant care. Forte Residential currently has five clients.

Van Meter also serves on the Governor's Commission for Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities. He said he hopes to use his position with that commission to institute changes to prevent similar problems from occurring in the future.

According to documents filed March 25 with the court, a ISDH follow-up survey of Forte Residential was conducted March 19, at which time it was determined the business was no longer providing services that require a home health license.

Van Meter said at the time the case was filed that he believed the matter was a misunderstanding and was confident that it would be resolved without actually going to court.

The matter was filed by deputy attorney general Laureanne Nordstrom on behalf of the ISDH. [[In-content Ad]]