MO DHSS Investigates Another Civil Rights Abuse at State psychiatric Hospital
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services has opened another investigation into alleged civil rights abuse at a Missouri state psychiatric facility.
(PRWEB) June 6, 2004
An administrator with the Health Facility Regulation Unit of the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) has notified the Citizens Commission on Human Rights® of St. Louis (CCHR) that another investigation has been opened into alleged civil rights abuse at a Missouri state psychiatric facility. This is the second investigation into patient abuse that the DHSS has opened this year as a result of complaints filed by CCHR.
CCHR filed the most recent complaint against Southeast Missouri Mental Health Center in Farmington, alleging serious violations of human rights by psychiatrists and staff.
CCHR is concerned that some actions taken by psychiatric employees of this Missouri mental institution may violate multiple State statutes that govern the medical and psychiatric handling of mental patients. CCHR is also concerned that there may be retaliation against any patients who file grievances, as we believe that is what has happened at other state mental facilities against which CCHR has filed complaints.
This complaint details many serious allegations, including sexual abuse of patients by staff, denial of basic legal rights, using coercion or deception to retain patients who should otherwise be released, staff promising early release in return for sexual favors, retaliation against patients for reporting abuse, unnecessary use of forcible restraint, forced drugging with harmful psychiatric drugs, deliberately inadequate medical care for known physical conditions, outright mistreatment, and violation of patient confidentiality laws.
"The laws of this state are very specific about how mental patients, clients or residents may be treated by psychiatrists and how they may be held in state facilities," said Moritz Farbstein of CCHR St. Louis. "One is appalled to consider the possibility that our stateÂ’s citizens detained in state mental health facilities may be physically restrained, sexually abused by staff, and subject to coercive treatment and verbal and physical abuse."
The possibility exists that there could be more psychiatric abuse in the system than anyone is willing to admit, and that allegations of civil rights abuse may extend to additional state mental health facilities.
The Citizens Commission on Human Rights was established in 1969 by the Church of Scientology to investigate and expose psychiatric violations of human rights and to clean up the field of mental healing. Today it has more than 130 chapters in 31 countries and is recognized as an authority on psychiatric abuse. CCHR is primarily concerned with psychiatry's fraudulent use of "diagnoses" that are not based on science or medical criteria. For more information, call the Citizens Commission on Human Rights of St. Louis at (314) 727-8307.
