Arkansas Department of Human Services v. Bertha McWilliams

CourtCourt of Appeals of Arkansas
DecidedApril 1, 2026
StatusPublished

This text of Arkansas Department of Human Services v. Bertha McWilliams (Arkansas Department of Human Services v. Bertha McWilliams) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Arkansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Arkansas Department of Human Services v. Bertha McWilliams, (Ark. Ct. App. 2026).

Opinion

Cite as 2026 Ark. App. 212 ARKANSAS COURT OF APPEALS DIVISION III No. CV-25-417

Opinion Delivered April 1, 2026

ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT OF APPEAL FROM THE PULASKI COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES DIVISION OF CIRCUIT COURT, THIRD DIVISION PROVIDER SERVICES AND QUALITY [NO. 60CV-24-3363] ASSURANCE/OFFICE OF LONG-TERM CARE APPELLANT

V. AGENCY DECISION AFFIRMED; BERTHA MCWILLIAMS CIRCUIT COURT DECISION REVERSED

APPELLEE

KENNETH S. HIXSON, Judge

This is an appeal under the Administrative Procedure Act (APA). Appellant Arkansas

Department of Human Services Division of Provider Services and Quality Assurance/Office

of Long-Term Care (DHS) appeals from an order of the Pulaski County Circuit Court that

reversed the decision of an administrative law judge (ALJ) and removed appellee Bertha

McWilliams’ name from the Adult and Long-Term Care Facility Resident Maltreatment

Central Registry (maltreatment registry). In the administrative proceeding, the DHS Office

of Appeals and Hearings ALJ found that McWilliams was negligent in her responsibility to

care for long-term-care-facility residents and ordered that her name be placed on the maltreatment registry. The circuit court reversed the ALJ’s decision because it found that

the ALJ’s order was made under an erroneous standard of care.

On appeal, DHS argues that (1) the ALJ’s decision was supported by substantial

evidence, (2) the ALJ’s decision was not arbitrary or capricious, and (3) the circuit court erred

in reversing the ALJ’s order. We agree with DHS’s arguments. Therefore, we affirm the

ALJ’s decision and we reverse the order of circuit court.

I. Standard of Review

This court’s review under the APA is directed not toward the circuit court but toward

the decision of the administrative agency. Baldwin v. Ark. Dep’t of Transp., 2025 Ark. App.

114, 708 S.W.3d 793. This is so because administrative agencies are better equipped by their

specialization, experience, and more flexible procedures to determine and analyze legal issues

affecting their agencies. Id.

An appellate court’s review of administrative decisions is limited in scope. The

appellate court may reverse or modify an agency’s decision if it concludes that the substantial

rights of the petitioner have been prejudiced because the administrative findings, inferences,

conclusions, or decisions are (1) in violation of constitutional or statutory provisions; (2) in

excess of the agency’s statutory authority; (3) made upon unlawful procedure; (4) affected by

other error or law; (5) not supported by substantial evidence of record; or (6) arbitrary,

capricious, or characterized by abuse of discretion. Ark. Code Ann. § 25-15-212(h) (Repl.

2024).

2 It is not the role of the appellate court to conduct a de novo review of the record;

rather, review is limited to ascertaining whether there is substantial evidence to support the

agency’s decision or whether the agency’s decision runs afoul of one of the other criteria set

out in the APA. Ark. Contractors Licensing Bd. v. Pegasus Renovation Co., 347 Ark. 320, 64

S.W.3d 241 (2001). The pertinent question is whether there is relevant evidence that a

reasonable mind might accept as adequate to support the agency’s conclusion; the issue is

not whether the appellate court would have made a different decision but whether

reasonable minds could conclude as the agency did. Jones v. Ark. Loc. Police & Fire Ret. Sys.,

2018 Ark. App. 287, 550 S.W.3d 27. The supreme court has held that where the agency’s

decision is supported by substantial evidence, it automatically follows that it cannot be

classified as unreasonable or arbitrary. Collie v. Ark. State Med. Bd., 370 Ark. 180, 258 S.W.3d

367 (2007). I addition, the credibility and the weight of the evidence are within the agency’s

discretion, and it is the prerogative of the agency to believe or disbelieve any witness and to

decide what weight to accord that evidence. Williams v. Ark. State Bd. of Physical Therapy, 353

Ark. 778, 120 S.W.3d 581 (2003).

II. Relevant Facts

McWilliams, a registered nurse, began working as the director of nursing for Legacy

Health and Rehabilitation (Legacy Health)—a long-term care facility—in November 2022.

When she was hired, McWilliams signed a written “Job Description” confirming that she

understood the job description and its requirements. Among McWilliams’ essential job

duties were administrative functions that included developing, implementing, and directing

3 the nursing-services department, its programs and activities, and ensuring compliance with

federal and state law. McWilliams was also charged with personnel functions that included

recruiting, hiring, and terminating nursing-services personnel. Pertinent to this appeal,

McWilliams’ essential job duties also included nursing-care functions that specifically

required her to “monitor residents’ treatment and medications to ensure residents are

receiving proper care,” “review clinical records to ensure proper documentation is

maintained related to residents’ treatment, medication, and conditions,” and “provide direct

nursing care as necessary.”

On May 2, 2023, a Legacy Health resident, C.L., was hospitalized and underwent

surgery to treat a wound noted to be black and necrotic. After a complaint was lodged, DHS

surveyors went to the facility and discovered that some of the residents, which included C.L.,

R.A., and W.W., were not receiving proper wound care as ordered by their physicians. On

July 6, 2023, Legacy Health submitted an “Incident and Accident Report” and a “Facility

Investigation Report” to DHS listing the three residents noted above as the victims of

suspected neglect and naming McWilliams as the alleged perpetrator.

Upon receipt of the reports from Legacy Health, DHS conducted an investigation of

the suspected maltreatment of residents C.L., R.A., and W.W. 1 The investigation was

conducted by DHS investigator Michelle Bishop and included a review of the investigative

1 The Adult and Long-Term Care Facility Resident Maltreatment Act, Ark. Code Ann. §§ 12-12-1701 et seq. (Repl. 2016 & Supp. 2025), provides at § 12-12-1710(b)(2) that DHS “shall investigate all cases of suspected maltreatment of a long-term care facility resident.”

4 documents provided by Legacy Health as well as interviews with multiple individuals,

including McWilliams.

After completing her investigation, Bishop prepared an investigative report on August

22, 2023. Bishop’s report included the relevant statutory provisions under Ark. Code Ann.

§ 12-12-1703:

(17) “Neglect” means:

.... (B) An act or omission by a caregiver responsible for the care and supervision of an endangered person or an impaired person constituting:

(i) Negligently failing to provide necessary treatment, rehabilitation, care, food, clothing, shelter, supervision, or medical services to an endangered person or an impaired person;[2]

....

(iii) Negligently failing to carry out a treatment plan developed or implemented by the facility;

(18)“Negligently” means a person’s failure to exercise the degree of care that a person of ordinary prudence would have exercised in the same circumstances[.]

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