SPRINGFIELD - Three Southern Illinois nursing homes were cited with violating the state's Nursing Home Care Act in March, according to an Illinois Department of Public Health report released Wednesday.

Sixteen nursing homes, including Finnie Good Shepherd Nursing Home, 400 S. Main Cross Street in Galatia; Friendship Manor Healthcare, 485 S. Friendship Drive in Nashville; and Mount Vernon Healthcare Center, #5 Doctor's Park Road in Mount Vernon, were cited with type "A" violations and fined $5,000 each.

The health department classifies type "A" violations as the most serious as it "pertains to a condition in which there is a substantial probability that death or serious mental or physical harm will result."

Finnie Good Shepherd's violation stems from a January 2007 incident, in which a resident left the facility. The department's report states a passerby driver found the resident walking down the center of the street, about a quarter mile away from the nursing home.

Barbara Finnie, the nursing home's administrator, said the resident had a history of leaving facilities and telephone records show she was only gone for about 15 minutes. She said the facility paid the $5,000 fine to avoid attorney expenses.

The violation, which Finnie said is the facility's first, led her to install surveillance cameras, update the alarm system and to adopt a policy of not admitting anyone with a history of leaving nursing home facilities, she added.

The Mount Vernon Health Care Center had a similar violation stemming from February 2007 incident. The department reported an employee failed to check and clear an exit door alarm, which resulted in the resident's elopement. The resident was found 30 minutes later and about 170 yards from the facility, attempting to get inside a locked dental office.

A status conference was scheduled for Wednesday in Springfield and Carrell Breeze, administrator of the Mount Vernon center, said "at this time, we are in compliance with the Department of Public Health."

The violation against Friendship Manor Healthcare in Nashville stems from a November 2006 incident, in which the facility was notified of potential sexual abuse between two residents. The health department cited the nursing home with failing to protect its residents by employing a person who had a finding of resident abuse on the State Nurse Aide Registry.

The report also states the nursing home violated policy for pre-employment screening by not checking the Health Care Worker Registry. The Nashville facility did not request a hearing on the heath department's action and an employee said Thursday the facility's administrator was not available for comment.