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         Chaos and Crisis Plague HI State Hospital

WASHINGTON, D.C.--The Justice Department today asked a federal court to
hold the State of Hawaii in contempt for failing to improve conditions
at the state hospital.  It called the current situation one of chaos and
crisis in which staff physically abuse patients and retaliate against
colleagues who have reported the abuse.

Today's contempt motion accused the state of failing to comply with a
September 1991 agreement in which it promised to upgrade conditions at
the Hawaii State Hospital in Kaneohe.  In papers filed in U.S. District
Court in Honolulu, the Justice Department cited severe understaffing,
physical abuse and neglect of patients, and refusal to discipline
abusive employees.

The Justice Department also contended that the hospital is so critically
understaffed that patients do not receive appropriate psychiatric
treatment, remain unattended while in restraints, and are not prevented
from assaulting each other.

"Three years ago we turned to the court to help improve conditions and
to provide adequate psychiatric care at the hospital," said Assistant
Attorney General for Civil Rights Deval L. Patrick. "The state has
failed to carry out its responsibilities and we must now turn back to
the court to protect the rights of the patients."

The Justice Department began investigating conditions at the hospital in
1989, after a study by a national advocacy group listed it as the worst
in the nation.  After concluding that conditions failed to meet
constitutional standards, the Justice Department sued the state in March
1991.  In September 1991, the state agreed to upgrade conditions at the
facility.

Eighteen former and current staff members signed sworn statements also
filed today in court echoing the Justice Department's concerns.

Today's action asks the court to assign an independent monitor to
oversee the state's compliance efforts, force the state to hire
additional staff and reduce the hospital population to a level where
staff can adequately supervise patients, ensure their safety, and
provide treatment.

[Justice Department Asks to Hold Hawaii in Contempt for Failing to
Improve Conditions at State Hospital, DOJ, 12/14/94]

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