MyPath (Homes for Independent Living, Genesee Lake School): Ownership, Violations, and Lawsuits
Michael Hill and the team at Michael Hill Trial Law investigate abuse, neglect, and wrongful-death cases involving group homes and intermediate care facilities (ICF/IIDs), and we represent families nationwide. The firm focuses on neglect and abuse in group homes, ICF/IIDs, nursing homes, and assisted living facilities. MyPath, formerly Oconomowoc Residential Programs, is an employee-owned Wisconsin company that operates group homes, schools, and community services for people with disabilities, largely through its Homes for Independent Living (HIL) division. Its homes are chiefly Wisconsin community-based residential facilities rather than federally certified ICF/IIDs.
If someone you love was injured or died in a group home or ICF operated by MyPath (Oconomowoc Residential Programs / Homes for Independent Living) or one of its brands, you may have legal options, and time limits can be short. Case reviews are free and confidential. Start your case or call (800) 659-2712.
Last reviewed: November 12, 2026. Ownership and financial figures are drawn from public filings, state and federal records, and news reporting; regulatory and lawsuit items are from government records and court filings, each cited at the end of this page. Lawsuits and criminal charges are allegations unless a court has ruled; state findings may be appealed.
Group Home & ICF/IID Case Types We Handle
The injuries and neglect we investigate in group homes and intermediate care facilities.
MyPath (Oconomowoc Residential Programs / Homes for Independent Living) at a Glance
- Legal name: Oconomowoc Residential Programs, Inc. (d/b/a MyPath)
- Headquarters: Oconomowoc, Wisconsin
- Founded: 1984 (as Oconomowoc Residential Programs)
- Ownership: Private; 100% employee-owned through an ESOP (since 2016)
- Scale: 140+ residential locations (~450 people) across Wisconsin and Indiana
- Revenue: Not publicly available (private ESOP)
- Brands: Homes for Independent Living (HIL); Genesee Lake School; Prader-Willi Homes of Oconomowoc; T.C. Harris School; Richardson School; MyPath Support Services
- Headline issues: 2025 lawsuit alleging unlawful physical and chemical restraints of an autistic teen at Genesee Lake School; 2024 Wisconsin state Notice of Violation at an HIL facility
Group homes and ICF/IIDs are licensed and inspected mainly by the states and, for ICF/IIDs, by federal CMS — there is no federal five-star rating like the one for nursing homes. Counts below are from public records and are not a complete litigation history; they do not by themselves indicate the quality of any individual home.
What Group Homes and ICF/IIDs Are — and Why Harm Happens
A group home is a residential setting where a small number of people with intellectual or developmental disabilities (I/DD) live together with staff support. An intermediate care facility for individuals with intellectual disabilities (ICF/IID) is a federally certified, Medicaid-funded facility that must meet federal standards for active treatment, health care, and client protections. Many residents cannot fully protect themselves or reliably report what happens to them, which is exactly why staffing, supervision, and training decide whether people are safe.
The injuries that recur in these settings are rarely mysterious. They include falls and fractures; bedsores and pressure injuries; choking on the wrong diet texture; dehydration, malnutrition, and bowel obstruction and fecal impaction; medication errors; wandering and elopement; physical or sexual assault by staff or other residents; and, in the worst cases, wrongful death. The common thread is understaffing — a home that accepts residents it is not staffed or trained to care for makes the harm foreseeable.
Who Owns MyPath (Oconomowoc Residential Programs / Homes for Independent Living)?
MyPath is the parent brand for a group of Wisconsin and Indiana disability-services companies that began in 1984, when Jim Balestrieri bought assets out of bankruptcy to form Oconomowoc Residential Programs. Over the following decades it added schools and community programs and, in 2016, became 100% employee-owned through an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). The company rebranded as MyPath in 2019. As a privately held ESOP, it does not publish revenue or net income; third-party estimates are considered unreliable and are not published here.
The company says it is among the largest employee-owned health-care and human-services organizations in the country. No ESOP transaction price has been disclosed. Its residential operations are largely delivered through Homes for Independent Living of WI, LLC, a licensed community-based residential facility (CBRF) operator.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 1984 | Jim Balestrieri bought assets out of bankruptcy, forming Oconomowoc Residential Programs |
| 2002 | Established a 30% ESOP |
| 2016 | Became 100% employee-owned through the ESOP |
| 2019 | Rebranded as MyPath |
| 2024 | Homes for Independent Living acquired Our Way Inc. (Merrill, WI) |
| 2026-01 | Dorothy Buckhanan Wilson became sole CEO |
Revenue, Public Funding, and Finances
Revenue and net income are not publicly available because MyPath is a privately held, employee-owned company. The sources reviewed found no bond ratings, credit ratings, or private-equity ownership.
MyPath (Oconomowoc Residential Programs / Homes for Independent Living) Leadership
Dorothy Buckhanan Wilson has served as sole chief executive officer since January 2026, after a period as president and co-CEO. Terry Leahy is executive chair. Other listed executives include a chief operating officer and chief financial officer.
MyPath (Oconomowoc Residential Programs / Homes for Independent Living) Brand Names and the Entity on the License
The name on a state license, inspection report, or court filing is often a subsidiary or brand. Families searching state records should look for these names:
| Family | Names you may see |
|---|---|
| Homes for Independent Living (HIL) | Homes for Independent Living of WI, LLC |
| Schools | Genesee Lake School (Oconomowoc Developmental Training Center of Wisconsin, LLC); T.C. Harris School; Richardson School |
| Other residential | Prader-Willi Homes of Oconomowoc; MyPath Support Services, LLC |
Where MyPath (Oconomowoc Residential Programs / Homes for Independent Living) Operates
MyPath's residential operations are concentrated in Wisconsin, with additional operations in Indiana (including the T.C. Harris School in Lafayette). Homes for Independent Living operates CBRFs and adult family homes; its homes are largely Wisconsin state-licensed facilities rather than federally certified ICF/IIDs, and ICF certification was not confirmed in this review.
MyPath (Oconomowoc Residential Programs / Homes for Independent Living) Lawsuits, Government Findings, and Regulatory Record
The most serious verified allegation is a 2025 federal lawsuit claiming an autistic teenager was repeatedly physically and chemically restrained at Genesee Lake School; the case was compelled to arbitration in 2026 and the outcome is not public, and the school disputes the allegations. A 2024 Wisconsin state Notice of Violation at an HIL community-based residential facility required the facility to correct deficiencies. News outlets have also reported a caregiver arrest on abuse-and-neglect allegations after a nonverbal resident was found seriously injured; the charging outcome was not found, and front-line staff accused but not convicted are not named here.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Civil lawsuits | 1 |
| Regulatory actions | 1 |
This is not a complete litigation history, and the existence of a lawsuit or complaint is not proof of wrongdoing. A settlement is not an admission of liability. Findings by state agencies may be appealed.
Notable matters
- 2025 — Allegation (compelled to arbitration; outcome not found): Restraint lawsuit at Genesee Lake School (S.A. v. Aetna et al.). A lawsuit filed in June 2025 in federal court in Wisconsin alleged that an autistic teenager was subjected to repeated physical and chemical restraints at Genesee Lake School between September 2021 and August 2022. The defendants included the Genesee Lake School entity, MyPath Support Services, and Oconomowoc Residential Programs. In February 2026 the court compelled arbitration and administratively closed the case. The school called the allegations wholly unsubstantiated; the claims are allegations, and the arbitration outcome has not been found. Source
- 2024 — Regulatory action (Notice of Violation): Wisconsin DQA Notice of Violation at an HIL facility. On May 7, 2024, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Division of Quality Assurance, issued a Notice of Violation to Homes for Independent Living of WI, LLC for an HIL community-based residential facility in New Berlin, following a standard survey and complaint investigation. The facility was ordered to come into compliance within 45 days. The specific cited violations are set out in the enclosed statement of deficiencies. Source
Complaint and Harm Types in the MyPath (Oconomowoc Residential Programs / Homes for Independent Living) Record
Across the public records reviewed, these are the kinds of harm that recur — the same kinds our firm investigates in group homes and ICF/IIDs. If your loved one experienced any of these, it may support a claim:
Who May Be Legally Responsible
Because MyPath (Oconomowoc Residential Programs / Homes for Independent Living) operates through separate state entities and brands — and because the parent company, the licensed operator, the employer of the staff, and in some cases the property owner may be different companies — a lawsuit may need to name more than one defendant. Names that have appeared in records involving these homes include:
- Oconomowoc Residential Programs, Inc.
- Homes for Independent Living of WI, LLC
- Oconomowoc Developmental Training Center of Wisconsin, LLC (Genesee Lake School)
- MyPath Support Services, LLC
- Prader-Willi Homes of Oconomowoc
What to Do If You Suspect Neglect or Abuse in a Group Home or ICF
- Get medical care. Call 911 or go to the hospital for any serious injury, sudden decline, or unexplained bruising, fracture, or weight loss.
- Report it. Notify the home’s administrator in writing, the state or county developmental disabilities agency that receives incident reports, adult protective services, and law enforcement for any suspected crime.
- Find the licensed entity. Ask for the license or check your state’s provider lookup; the company on the license is often a state subsidiary or brand name rather than the parent company.
- Document everything. Take photos, write down dates, times, and names, and save texts and emails.
- Request records. Ask for incident reports, the individual service or program plan, medication administration records, and staffing schedules. Guardians and authorized representatives usually have access rights.
- Be careful with statements and documents. Do not give recorded statements to insurers or sign releases or arbitration agreements before talking to a lawyer. Deadlines can be short.
Why Families Bring Group Home and ICF Cases to Michael Hill Trial Law
These cases are won by lawyers who try them. Michael Hill and the team at Michael Hill Trial Law focus on neglect and abuse in group homes, ICF/IIDs, nursing homes, and assisted living facilities, and the firm has obtained record results, including $26 million, the highest recorded verdict against a nursing home in Ohio history. The firm’s main office is in Cleveland, Ohio; it practices nationwide, its attorneys are licensed in numerous states, and it works with affiliate firms across the country. The review is free, and you owe nothing unless we recover for you.
Start your free, confidential case review | Call (800) 659-2712
Frequently Asked Questions About MyPath (Oconomowoc Residential Programs / Homes for Independent Living)
Who owns MyPath?
MyPath is a privately held company that has been 100% employee-owned through an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) since 2016. It was founded in 1984 as Oconomowoc Residential Programs and rebranded as MyPath in 2019.
What is the Genesee Lake School restraint lawsuit?
A 2025 federal lawsuit alleged that an autistic teen was repeatedly subjected to physical and chemical restraints at Genesee Lake School in 2021-2022. The court compelled arbitration in 2026; the allegations are disputed and the outcome is not public.
Does MyPath run ICF/IID facilities?
Its homes are largely Wisconsin community-based residential facilities (CBRFs) and adult family homes rather than federally certified ICF/IIDs. Federal ICF certification was not confirmed in this review.
What was the 2024 Wisconsin violation?
In May 2024, Wisconsin's Division of Quality Assurance issued a Notice of Violation to Homes for Independent Living for a community-based residential facility in New Berlin and ordered corrections within 45 days.
Can I sue a group home or ICF operator for neglect or abuse?
Generally, families may bring civil claims against a group home or ICF operator when neglect or abuse causes injury or death, and the parent company and the licensed entity may both be proper defendants. Deadlines, damage rules, and required pre-suit steps vary by state, and arbitration clauses and Medicaid liens can matter. A lawyer licensed in your state can explain your options. Michael Hill Trial Law offers free, confidential case reviews for families nationwide.
Who is legally responsible when someone is harmed in a group home?
Often more than one company. These operators frequently run each home through a separate local entity that holds the license, while the building may be owned by another company and staff employed by a third; for-profit owners and investors can sit above all of them. The right defendants depend on who held the license, who employed the staff, who managed care, and who owned the property at the time of the harm.
What if we signed an arbitration agreement?
Courts do not always enforce these arbitration clauses. Whether one applies depends on who signed it, the authority that person had, and the state's law. Keep a copy of everything you signed and have a lawyer review it before assuming you cannot bring a claim.
How do I check a group home or ICF's inspection and complaint record?
Group homes are licensed and inspected mainly by state developmental-disabilities and health agencies; ICF/IIDs are also certified and inspected under federal CMS rules. Use the state agency's provider lookup for the state where the home is located, and ask the agency for inspection reports and substantiated complaints.
About Michael Hill Trial Law
Michael Hill Trial Law represents families in group home, ICF/IID, nursing home, and assisted living abuse and neglect cases. The firm’s main office is in Cleveland, Ohio; it practices across the country, its attorneys are licensed in numerous states, and it works with affiliate firms throughout the United States. The firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for clients, including a $26 million jury verdict for wrongful death, the highest nursing home verdict in Ohio history. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Learn more about group home and ICF/IID neglect cases, wrongful death, and physical and sexual assault, or meet our team.
Sources
Information on this page comes from government records, court filings, regulatory reports, company statements, and news reports, linked below. Lawsuits and criminal charges are allegations unless a court has ruled. Findings by state agencies may be subject to appeal.
- MyPath - company history
- MyPath - about
- Wisconsin DHS DQA - Notice of Violation (R28D11)
- CourtListener - S.A. v. Aetna, Genesee Lake School et al.
- TMJ4 - parents sue Oconomowoc school over restraints
- Rutgers CLEO - MyPath ESOP case study
- GM Today / The Freeman - HIL acquires Our Way
- Justia - Oconomowoc Residential Programs v. City of Milwaukee (7th Cir. 2002)
This page provides general information about a company that operates group homes and intermediate care facilities. It is not legal advice and does not mean that any particular home or employee did anything wrong. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Last reviewed November 12, 2026.
