LANSING, Mich. — Sen. Michael Webber criticized the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services for failing to sufficiently protect the rights of mental health care patients in the care of the state following an independent investigation published Tuesday by the Office of the Auditor General.
“The more we learn about Michigan’s inpatient psychiatric care, the worse it gets,” said Webber, R-Rochester Hills. “Today, the state auditor confirms what patients and parents have been telling me repeatedly since I requested this audit in July 2023. It is very clear that the Office of Recipient Rights, under MDHHS leadership, is failing to protect our most vulnerable seeking mental health care.”
The OAG’s report found:
- Nearly 30% of sampled complaints alleging abuse, neglect, serious injury or death were not retrieved or acted on until two to 12 days after being filed. The average was six days, although ORR’s training materials indicate this should have been done within 24 hours.
- More than 10% of sampled complaints lacked an ORR date stamp, making it impossible to determine if action was timely.
- Video surveillance and audio recording capabilities at the five state psychiatric hospitals were often missing or not working. For over 40% of the investigations reviewed, video and/or audio evidence could have helped facilitate and/or further support ORR’s investigation conclusions.
- ORR had no process to monitor state psychiatric hospitals’ incident reports, which could have led to undetected and/or unreported rights violations.
Webber requested the audit after hearing tragic accounts from past patients and families with loved ones in the care of the former Hawthorn Center. He has also introduced legislation to strengthen patient rights and oversight at state psychiatric hospitals and pushed for legislative hearings.
In October 2024, MDHHS agreed to pay a $13 million settlement to a dozen patients and employees traumatized during a poorly executed active shooter drill at the former Hawthorn Center in December 2022. In February 2024, a mother filed a $100 million lawsuit over the beating of her 10-year-old child while he was a patient at Walter P. Reuther Psychiatric Hospital.
“The audit sheds light on why recipient rights complaints were going unanswered and that the department failed to properly investigate claims of abuse, neglect or even death in a timely manner,” Webber said. “In nearly half of the cases reviewed, video cameras that could have provided the truth weren’t functioning. There is an immediate need for stronger oversight and accountability by this Legislature for those at MDHHS who are charged with protecting our most vulnerable patients seeking psychiatric care.”