Posted: Thursday, October 29, 2009
Yet another effort is underway to improve conditions at the Oregon
State Hospital. A 16-member citizen panel held its first meeting
today. The group was created by the Legislature this year to
review policies and procedures at the 126-year-old mental
institution. The hospital has been under scrutiny for years, including
a recent federal report accusing the agency of allowing conditions
that harm patients. One panel member is former State Hospital
patient Nona Clarke, who spent two years there in the late 90’s.
Clarke: “There was very little treatment. And there was a lot of
sitting around being bored, having nothing to do, nothing to occupy
your mind.”
Hospital officials say they’ve worked hard to improve patient
treatment plans over the years. The state gave the US Department
of Justice an update on that process in July. The feds haven’t
responded to that report yet, so the possibility of a federal
takeover of the hospital still exists. Construction is underway in
Salem on a massive renovation effort at the crumbling main hospital
campus. (Chris Lehman)
Copyright 2009 OPB
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