State mental hospital that turns away patients has vacant ward

[TexasTowelie]

Even as the state's Clifton T. Perkins Hospital Center has been turning away patients despite court orders to admit them, citing a lack of beds, one of the facility's wards remains vacant.

Dr. Barbara Bazron, head of the state's Behavioral Health Administration, testified that a ward remains empty at the psychiatric facility during a contempt-of-court hearing last week involving her and other high-ranking officials of the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

Baltimore Circuit Judge Gale Rasin held the hearing to make state officials say on the record why the department had disregarded several recent court orders to admit defendants to Perkins, the state facility that cares for the most dangerous offenders with mental disorders. The individuals involved have been admitted since, after delays of several weeks, but Rasin still demanded an explanation why her orders were not initially honored.

Health department officials have said they face a "crisis" due to a shortage of beds, but Bazron confirmed the existence of an empty ward at Perkins. Bazron told the judge she did not know whether there were other vacant wards at other state mental health facilities.

Read more: http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/investigations/bs-md-sun-investigates-mental-20160710-story.html

[Laffy Kat]

1. "Shortages of bed" could also mean shortages of staff.

The beds are of no use w/o physicians, nurses, and paraprofessionals to serve them. Ultimately, it's about saving money, though, especially the private, for-profit hospitals.