At Lexington County Sen. Katrina Shealy's request, state auditors will investigste a troubled SC agency.
The state Legislative Audit Council has approved a request by Shealy and 4 other senators to investigate the Department of Disabilities and Special Needs.
The agency serves people with special needs at the Babcock Center and other Lexington County facilities.
The senators said they have received complaints about the management and operations of the DDSN.
The audit will range from employment policies and practices to compliance with state and federal laws.
This is not the 1st time DDSN and some of the care facilities it finances have run into controversy.
The Chronicle was unsuccessfully sued 3 times by Babcock Center officials after DDSN auditors found evidence ot sexual abuse, neglect and even deaths of vulnerable adults in its care.
Courageous Babcock Center employees and board members gave the Chronicle copies of the audit.
Over the next 4 years, they supplied more evidence of abuse and neglect.
The newspaper published this information despite threats of lawsuits and stonewalling its requests for Babcocks' side of the charges. 
Employees of other facilities have contacted WCSC-TV in Charleston about low pay, long hours and potential covid-19 exposure.
“We’ve seen reports about sexual abuse in these facilities," Sen. Shealy said. 
“We don’t want those kinds of issues. We want state employees to want to go to work.”
Sen. Tom Davis of Beaufort said he supports a plan to make DDSN directly accountable to the governor.
“It’s not a witch hunt," he said.
If DDSN isn’t functioning well, how can we correct it? he said.
In February, DDSN State Director Mary Poole was fired by the commission in what initially appeared to be a sudden decision. 
Documents later obtained by WCSC showed her firing was planned in secret by 4 of 6 commissioners.
"If we don’t go in there and do that, then it’s our fault for not making sure we have a person in there that has a heart for those people,” Shealy said.
DDSN spokesperson Robert McBurney said that the agency will welcome the auditors.
McBurney said, “We thank Sen. Shealy and her fellow senators for the help and support they have lent to DDSN.”
He said DDSN plans public sessions this month but did not say when and where.
For questions or comments, please email JerryBellune@yahoo.com
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