28 hours ago · SEATTLE (AP) — Washington state's largest psychiatric hospital failed to report an... >> Go To The Portal
The ruins of the Old Fort Steilacoom Asylum are still standing to this day. Source: Michael Gaida
Western State Hospital was definitely an upgrade from Fort Steilacoom, but the abuses continued. Many were involuntarily committed, being labeled insane despite having no actual mental disorders. Just like today, their assets were seized and put in the hands of a “guardian,” who was court-appointed.
Like many asylums, Western State was known for its terrifying and inhumane medical procedures. Electroshock therapy, insulin therapy, and lobotomies were all routinely performed at the hospital. The doctors employed these methods in an attempt to control, or “cure,” patients.
Francis Farmer spent five years in Western State Hospital. Source: Wikimedia
The ruins of the original Fort Steilacoom Asylum are still standing…somewhat. Much of the building has collapsed, but the graffiti plastered remains still attract visitors. Some say the ruins are haunted by the ghosts of the patients who once called the asylum home.
Washington is known for its endless forests, dreary weather, and massive mountains. It’s hardly a place where one would find ghosts…right? Most of us expect to find Bigfoot before we see a real-life poltergeist, but lo and behold, haunts are everywhere in Washington State.
Last June, WSH lost its federal certification and with it $53 million in federal funding, about 20 percent of the hospital's annual budget, after a months-long turnaround effort felt short. In 2016, a "root cause" report found ineffective management, staff reductions and high turnover had created a "culture of helplessness" among staff at WSH.
Attorney James Beck is suing DSHS on behalf of four WSH nurses who were assaulted by the same patient in 2018, including Bernia Garner, the nurse whose earlobe was severed in September. In a phone interview on Wednesday, Beck welcomed the L&I action.
Psychiatrists have echoed Vilja’s claims, indicating they have faced similar treatment. Three claimed they were scolded for objecting to management decisions that they said would put patients and staff at risk. Two of the psychiatrists were fired and the other was removed from patient care.
Campus Safety's Editor-in-Chief, Robin Hattersley provides an overview of the many crime, social, drug, law enforcement, emergency management and technology trends CS has been uncovering over the past couple of years. It also featured Guy Grace from the Partner Alliance for Safer Schools and Mary Ford from Centegix. Watch It Now!
1. Talk to the treatment team#N#2. File an official written complaint with the hospital#N#3. File a complaint with the hospital’s patient advocate or abuse hotline#N#4. Write to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) #N#5. Contact an attorney#N#a. Northwest Justice Project (NJP) for WSH#N#b. Northwest Justice Project (NJP) for ESH#N#c. CLEAR#N#d. Department of Assigned Counsel (DAC)#N#6. Contact other legal or oversight agencies#N#a. Disability Rights Washington (DRW)#N#b. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights#N#c. U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ)#N#d. The Joint Commission#N#e. Washington State Department of Health
1. Right to be free from abuse, neglect and haras sment#N#2. Right to adequate care and treatment#N#3. Right to be informed of rights#N#4. Right to retain basic civil rights despite admission to the hospital#N#5. Right to personal privacy and sexual expression#N#6. Right to religious exercise#N#7. Right to voice concerns and be heard#N#8. Rights relating to treatment and care#N#a. Right to participate in treatment planning and decision making#N#b. Rights relating to the hospital’s level system#N#c. Right to refuse antipsychotic medication , Electroconvulsant Therapy (ECT), or other treatment#N#d. Seclusion and restraint#N#e. Discharge rights#N#i. Discharge planning for civil patients #N#ii. Conditional release and related rights for forensic patients#N#9. Right to contact attorneys or advocates#N#10. Right to communication #N#a. Mail#N#b. Telephone access#N#c. Visitors#N#11. Right to personal items#N#12. Financial rights#N#a. Right to receive pay for employment#N#b. Right to personal funds#N#c. Right to receive notice regarding financial obligation for care and treatment#N#d. Right to control money#N#13. Access to medical records
The first section of this booklet has information about individual patient rights. This section will discuss what a patient can do to regain a right that has been limited or taken away. This may include filing a complaint with the hospital about treatment, contacting an attorney, and reporting a rights violation to additional agencies and organizations.
1. Right to be free from abuse, neglect and harassment#N#A patient has the right to receive care in a safe environment and be free from all forms of abuse, neglect, and harassment.
a. Mail#N#In general, a patient may send and receive uncensored letters and must be given access to letter writing materials and stamps. If a patient’s treatment team or doctor limits the patient’s access to mail, the limitation must be documented in the patient’s medical chart. Restrictions on access to mail must be reevaluated at least every seven days. Patients may be required to open their mail in the presence of staff. Hospital staff may open mail only if there is a legitimate suspicion that the mail contains dangerous or contraband items.
Employees say management punishes those who challenge decisions. Nursing supervisor Paul Vilja filed a complaint last December after a man who was found not guilty by reason of insanity in the deaths of multiple people was moved from a secure ward into one with limited security.
SEATTLE — Behind tall brick walls and secure windows, hundreds of patients at Washington state's largest psychiatric hospital live in conditions that fail U.S. health and safety standards, while overworked nurses and psychiatrists say they are navigating a system that punishes employees who speak out despite critical staffing shortages.
Last June, WSH lost its federal certification and with it $53 million in federal funding, about 20 percent of the hospital's annual budget, after a months-long turnaround effort felt short. In 2016, a "root cause" report found ineffective management, staff reductions and high turnover had created a "culture of helplessness" among staff at WSH.
Attorney James Beck is suing DSHS on behalf of four WSH nurses who were assaulted by the same patient in 2018, including Bernia Garner, the nurse whose earlobe was severed in September. In a phone interview on Wednesday, Beck welcomed the L&I action.