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The state is responding to criticism from the feds over the way it cares for disabled kids.

In September the Department of Justice chastised the Agency for Health Care Administration for allowing 220 disabled kids to live in adult nursing homes. AHCA responded by visiting all the children. They also met with the parents who made the decision to move their kids into the adult facilities. AHCA’s Secretary Elizabeth Dudek says the kids share a property with the adults, but their care is much different. To improve the situation Dudek says the department will enhance communication with the parents.

“Clearly it is difficult to have a child who has a medically complex situation. It’s clearly sometimes difficult to make decisions about what are we going to do and how are we going to do that. We want to have a personalized face they can talk to,” said Dudek.

The department is doubling the frequency of in person visits to the six homes where the kids live. There are also more case workers available to meet with the parents to advise them of their options.