Patients 'Abused' and 'Neglected' at Sonoma Developmental Center—State Report

Sonoma Developmental Center—the state's largest facility for people with developmental disabilities—stands to lose millions in federal funding due to a penetrating and negative inspection report by the state, according to an investigative journalism group.

California Watch—founded by the Center for Investigative Reporting—says it has obtained a copy of a confidential inspection report prepared by the state Department of Public Health.

More than 500 people are housed at the complex, in a tiny community called Eldridge, in Sonoma County. Many have developmental disorders such as cerebral palsy.

According to California Watch, the reports states the facility "must immediately upgrade patient care and abuse investigations in order to keep its federal certification."

The watchdog group first reported last month that more than a dozen patients appeared to have that may have been used on their buttocks, backs, arms and legs.

The in-house police—the Office of Protective Services—was repeatedly criticized in the report for neglecting to conduct investigations, delaying them or going easy on the staff, according to the report.

The center's nursing practices also came under fire in the report, which noted "unsafe practices," according to the watchdog group.

Staff will work on retraining, the investigative report stated.