Patients from justice system crowding state hospital, report says

CHARLESTON, W.Va. --  A rising number of patients from the criminal justice system is cramping one of West Virginia's two state-run psychiatric hospitals, according to a new report by the state's mental-health watchdog.

The overcrowded conditions at William R. Sharpe Jr. Hospital in Weston mean "forensic" patients are mixed with others, and some people are sleeping in rooms never meant to house anyone, says the report released last week by the Office of the Court Monitor.

Forensic patients are those who have been ordered into the hospital by judges, determined to be unfit to stand trial, or found not guilty by reason of insanity.

The report is part of Court Monitor David Sudbeck's regular tracking of the state's progress on mental health issues, related to an ongoing case in Kanawha County Circuit Court.

The document gives the state Bureau for Behavioral Health and Health Facilities credit for reducing overcrowding at Mildred Mitchell-Bateman Hospital in Huntington over the past few months.

"Unfortunately, the ever-increasing long term forensic population continues to create a crisis in bed availability at Sharpe Hospital," the report says. "Sharpe has been operating well over licensed capacity for some months, creating crowded conditions and an occasionally hazardous environment for patients and staff."

On one day last week, nearly 70 percent of Sharpe's 166 patients were forensic, Sudbeck said. The facility is licensed for 150 patients.

These patients have different treatment needs than others, Sudbeck said.

"A forensic patient may show more aggression," he said. "And I think you probably have some direct-care staff who may have some fear."

Sudbeck plans to visit Sharpe for three days this week. He is scheduled to participate in an audit with advocates from Legal Aid, and to conduct his own investigation into the overcrowding.

Gordon Simmons, field organizer for the West Virginia Public Workers Union UE Local 170, said members have reported more frequent and severe injuries sustained in altercations with aggressive patients.
"You've got people in very cramped and uncomfortable and actually untenable housing environments, and the frustration factor really goes up for the patients," he said. "Everybody's on edge. The staff's attention is divided."

The union has complained about a new policy that says employees will no longer be compensated for damage to personal property while on the job -- such as broken glasses, he added.

Sudbeck said he does not know why the number of forensic patients is rising.

West Virginia Supreme Court Administrator Steve Canterbury said he is unaware of any changes in the legal system that could be putting more criminals into the mental health facilities.

The Department of Health and Human Resources has done an analysis looking at the projected forensic population over the next five to 10 years, Sudbeck said. Officials have also talked with behavioral health providers to see how they can help. 

DHHR spokesman John Law said Friday he had not seen the court monitor's report.

The report also touches on ways the state is trying to alleviate hospital overcrowding.

It says 35 care coordinators will be hired for the state's community-based behavioral health system this fiscal year. The coordinators are supposed to help prevent people with mental illness from being unnecessarily committed to psychiatric hospitals by linking them with support services and providing other help.

The state is also making headway in developing group homes to help long-term and repeatedly committed Bateman and Sharpe patients live in the community with adequate support and supervision, according to the report.

Reach Alison Knezevich at alisonk@wvgazette.com or 304-348-1240.