From the Salem Statesman Journal, October 30, 2009

The board must address more issues than patient treatment, Courtney says

A new Oregon State Hospital advisory board needs to focus on fixing problems at the psychiatric facility instead of being cheerleaders for reforms already achieved, several panel members said Thursday.

“I don’t want this group to turn into a showcase for what you think you’re doing well,” Dr. Maggie Bennington-Davis said during the panel’s inaugural meeting.

Bennington-Davis, the chief medical officer for Cascadia Behavioral Health care, urged state hospital officials to bring chronic problems and struggles to the advisory board, opening the door for possible solutions.

Another board member concurred.

“We don’t need to be your cheerleaders,” said Dr. Robin Henderson, the director of behavioral health services at St. Charles Medical Center in Bend.

The 16-member citizen-led board was created by the 2009 Legislature to provide oversight of the state-run psychiatric facility. The U.S. Department of Justice issued a searing critique of patient care and hospital conditions in a January 2008 report, and the federal investigation remains unresolved.

The advisory panel is charged with conducting a comprehensive review of hospital rules, policies and procedures related to the safety, security and care of patients.

The board can make recommendations to Roy Orr, the hospital superintendent; Dr. Bruce Goldberg, the state human services director; and the legislative assembly.

On Thursday, Senate President Peter Courtney, D-Salem, a nonvoting member of the advisory board, raised concerns about the scope of the panel’s oversight.

Courtney said the legislative intent was to create a general-purpose advisory board.

In keeping with that, he said, the panel should examine many hospital-related issues, from parking and traffic concerns to possible changes in state laws.

Focusing only on patient treatment would be a mistake, he said.

No decisions were made during the opening session about board priorities or specific issues to tackle. The board initially plans to meet monthly.

At the start of the first meeting, Mike Adelman, one of two former hospital patients on the panel, spoke briefly about the Oct. 17 death of patient Moises Perez.

It’s important, he said, that the case not be swept under the carpet.

Perez, 42, was discovered dead in his bed on Ward 50F, a secure treatment ward in the hospital’s forensic program.

Other patients and mental-health advocates have alleged that staffers neglected Perez and that he was dead a long time before anybody noticed.

An autopsy concluded that Perez died from coronary artery disease.

Inquiries into his death are being made by the Oregon State Police and the State Office of Investigations and Training. Hospital officials have said that confidentiality laws, as well as ongoing investigations, prevent them from talking in detail about the case.

Adelman, who was released from the hospital in 2005, said he was troubled by the “suspicious circumstances” of Perez’ death and the lack of information released to the public about it.

“It may never be known to the public what the whole story is because of privacy laws,” he said.

Other than Adelman’s remarks, the advisory board did not discuss the case.

OUR COMMENT – The new Oregon State Hospital advisory board is charged with reviewing the safety, security and care of patients and may delve into other hospital-related issues. The panel can make recommendations directly to the hospital superintendent, the state human services director and the Oregon Legislature.

The advisory board was created by legislative action in June and finally met for the first time on October 29, 2009. No roster of members, no leadership, no agenda and no information about the time or place of the meeting were widely distributed or are on the OSH web site.

As for Peter Courtney’s comment, the voting members of the advisory board should do what they like within the legislative mandate.

READ – Oregon State Hospital employee newsletter, Recovery Times, October 2009

MORE – Oregon State Hospital Advisory Board members include the following:
• Mike Adelman, Salem, former state hospital patient
• Beckie Child, Portland, mental health advocate and president of Mental Health America of Oregon;
• Nona Clarke, Hillsboro, former state hospital patient
• Dr. Robin Henderson, Bend, director of behavioral health services at St. Charles Medical Center
• Corbett Monica, Sandy, executive director of Dual Diagnosis Anonymous of Oregon, a peer support program for persons recovering from mental illness and substance abuse
• Herbert Ozer, Portland, administrator of behavioral health services at Providence Health and Services
• Janet Spinosa, Salem, mother of a state hospital patient
• Deborah Weston, Portland, staff attorney for the Oregon Law Center

Non-voting members include:
• Sen. Peter Courtney
• Brant Johnson, Salem, state hospital mental health therapist
• Dr. Lorraine Skach, Keizer, state hospital psychiatrist
• Frank Warner Jr., Keizer, state hospital nurse
• Rep. Carolyn Tomei

From the Portland Mercury, October 28, 2009

Dragging it Out of Him : City Forces Saltzman to Publish Cops’ Secret List

A majority of City Council finally forced Police Commissioner Dan Saltzman to publish a secret list of frequent arrestees last week.

The list names those arrested most frequently in Old Town, inner Southeast Portland, and parts of North/Northeast Portland, and is a replacement for the city’s controversial “drug-free zones” program, which was disbanded in late 2007 following race disparity concerns.

A month ago, Saltzman said he had decided to keep the list secret, to protect the identity of people on it—many of whom are offered drug treatment. However, these same people are being charged with a felony for what would normally be treated as misdemeanor drug possession. Randy Leonard appeared to back down from the argument, saying he disagreed, but respected Saltzman’s authority as police commissioner. But last week, Leonard came back for more.

Initially, Mayor Sam Adams suggested releasing only the demographic information of people on the list, after criticism from Copwatch activist Dan Handelman, but Leonard interrupted to disagree. “There’s no legal justification for keeping the names secret,” he said, accusing Saltzman of “not serving the best interest of the program, or even the people in the program.”

“It’s time to end this charade of allowing those who would attack this program for various reasons to hang their hat on the list,” Leonard continued.

Saltzman said, “Certain elements of the press are just clamoring to get the names in print,” referring first to “the Mercury and Willamette Week,” and later, specifically, to the Mercury, which first discovered the list’s existence in April 2008, and has been a continuing advocate for its publication.

“You can dress up the issue anyway you like,” said Saltzman. “But these are people, they are individuals, they are job applicants, and I don’t necessarily think they want to pick up the Mercury and see their names in the paper.”

Leonard then brought his daughter into the argument. He again accused Saltzman’s police bureau of leaking details about his daughter to the press—apparently referencing a Willamette Week story from last October, describing her entry into drug treatment as an “open secret” at city hall. Leonard directed a long stare in Saltzman’s direction as he made those remarks.

Then, Leonard said, “You get to the point—when you have a child and they become an item for the police department—the least of your worries is [that] somehow the Mercury or the Willamette Week publishes their names. You’re worried if you’re going to get a call from the coroner.”

The vote came as an amendment on the payment of $1.2 million more into the program, to fund ongoing drug treatment and rehabilitation for 53 people. City Commissioner Nick Fish supported the payment, but pointed out: “For an equivalent investment we can tackle about 40 percent of the homeless problem on the streets of Portland.”

“We’re talking about a substantial investment of public resources,” Fish continued.

OUR COMMENT – This inane debate is of interest to the Mental Health Association of Portland only because we acquired a copy of the “secret list” today. It holds the names and birthdates of several hundred accused streetcorner drug dealers and addicts.

Instead of sending these folks through drug court, as is done in hundreds of communities nationwide, and instead of funding voluntary addiction treatment, our police have created a secondary system, purchasing one template of services for all persons, then essentially blackmailing individuals into compliance.

However, we hear there have been successes, and appreciate the creativity of the police response to the idiotic short-sightedness of the state legislature, and until the past year, Multnomah County.

So we want some data: Who has received treatment (no names, please)? What sort of treatment have they received? What is the outcome of the program? What happens when people fail the program? What happens when they succeed?

All of this has been hidden by Dan Saltzman, thinking the papers would publish the list of names. So far they haven’t.

From the Willamette Week, October 18, 2009

A federal judge warned in court today he may move the civil trial over the death of James Chasse Jr. out of Portland because heavy media coverage may have poisoned the pool of jurors.

“We’re going to have a heck of a time finding a jury in this case that has not read information or come to some opinion based on information that may or may not be relevant,” said U.S. District Court Judge Garr King. “Every time I see an article about this case, it adds to the possibility that we will have to move.”

King denied a motion by Tom Steenson, the attorney for Chasse’s family, that would have forced the city to turn over records of the cops’ internal investigation into Chasse’s 2006 death in police custody. King said he feared making the documents public would lead to more news stories.

“As you know, I’m very concerned about trying this case in the newspapers at this time,” King said.

Steenson claimed he needs the documents in order to counter statements the city made when Police Chief Rosie Sizer announced last month that the officers’ use of force on Chasse did not violate police policy.

Steenson claimed the city’s statements violated a protective order preventing release of information. That order was granted by U.S. District Court Judge Dennis Hubel at the city’s request.

“The city thinks it’s OK to violate Judge Hubel’s order and release cherry-picked pieces of information,” Steenson said. “Why do they get a one-way street, when the internal record tells a very different story than the information they’re releasing?”

King noted that Steenson had not asked for sanctions against the city for allegedly violating the protective order. He was simply denying Steenson’s request to release the Internal Affairs records.

King said the case is “well on the road” to a change in venue, adding that he understands the city will make a request to change location of the trial. Deputy City Attorney Jim Rice agreed, saying the city is looking into that possibility.

As for City Commissioner Randy Leonard’s public statement last week that Chasse’s death was “completely unjustifiable and inexcusable,” King asked Rice what effect such comments from an elected official may have on the city’s case.

Rice didn’t directly answer King’s question.

“I have always urged everyone not to make public comments in this case,” Rice said. “I have urged them to try this case in court.”

Criticisms by Randy Leonard (left) of how police handled James Chasse (right) may complicate the city defense of a suit filed by Chasse’s family

From the Willamette Week, October 28, 2009

City Commissioner Randy Leonard will make a star witness if the lawsuit over the 2006 death of James Chasse Jr. in police custody goes to trial this March as scheduled.

But he probably won’t be testifying for the city in its defense against the lawsuit filed by Chasse’s family. Not after Leonard made remarks at a City Council meeting last week—captured on video—that Chasse’s death from massive blunt force trauma was “completely unjustifiable and inexcusable.”

Leonard’s statement Oct. 21 was remarkable coming from a high-ranking city official in a case that has inflamed public opinion and widened rifts between cops and the community.

And it went against what city commissioners have said was the advice of the City Attorney’s Office, perhaps weakening the city’s position in avoiding a potentially staggering payout to the Chasse family in its lawsuit seeking unspecified damages. Multnomah County settled its smaller piece of the suit last July for $925,000.

The Chasse family’s attorney, Tom Steenson, declined to comment on Leonard’s remarks. But other prominent cop-suing lawyers in town who are not involved with the case say they wouldn’t hesitate to employ Leonard’s remarks against the city in court.

“I would absolutely use it every way I possibly could,” says lawyer Steven Sherlag. “Kudos to Randy Leonard for speaking the truth.”

“I would show the video in [my] opening statement,” says lawyer Greg Kafoury. “I would thank Mr. Leonard for his honesty and his courage in not hiding behind attorneys or bureaucrats and for not knuckling under to the power of the police union.”

Leonard says he isn’t worried about hurting the city’s case.

“I’m elected by the citizens of Portland to do the right thing, not try to win court cases in incidents involving the death of Portland citizens,” Leonard says. “My first obligation above all is to represent the citizens of Portland, and underneath that umbrella includes financially protecting them but also protecting their civil rights and making sure they are safe.”

Leonard’s remarks came after a series of public disputes with Commissioner Dan Saltzman, assigned by Mayor Sam Adams to oversee the Police Bureau. Most recently, Saltzman spoke up against Leonard’s effort to arm Water Bureau security with guns and provide them with police training. On Tuesday, Saltzman proposed giving those guards less-lethal options like pepper spray or Tasers.

Leonard denies his remarks on Chasse were meant to pressure Saltzman politically. Instead, he says a number of factors prompted him to speak out more than three years after Chasse’s death.

First was Police Chief Rosie Sizer’s announcement in September that the officers’ use of force in arresting Chasse was justified under police policy. Leonard says he held off speaking publicly until after the findings were complete.

Leonard says with the Chasse case, the Police Bureau “continues an almost insane set of circumstances wherein it makes it inevitable Portlanders are going to be seriously hurt or killed.” Sizer’s office declined to comment.

Then came what Leonard describes as a private conversation in which Saltzman insisted on speaking out publicly about issues Saltzman is concerned about. Leonard says he’s taking the same tack now with the Chasse case. Saltzman’s office declined to comment.

“This is not about a power struggle,” Leonard says. “What it is about is Dan’s increasingly personal attacks of me at Council, on whatever the issue is.”

The dispute takes its place atop a growing pile of Leonard’s public disagreements with fellow politicos. But his Chasse statement shocked even seasoned City Hall veterans.

Charlie Makinney, a liaison to the Police Bureau under former mayors Vera Katz and Tom Potter when both mayors managed the bureau, says Leonard’s behavior would never have been tolerated by Katz.

“She never, that I know of, threatened consequences to another commissioner for a stand they were taking. But I think commissioners assumed they were not going to make her happy,” Makinney says. “Sam should have that kind of discussion with Randy.”

Leonard confirms he discussed the situation with Adams, who chose last year not to manage the bureau and who has counted on Leonard’s support during his own tumultuous first year.

“Sam is a very thoughtful, contemplative guy, and listened to what I said, and nodded that he understood,” Leonard says. “He respects that, and I appreciate that about Sam.”

READ – Everything about James Chasse

From the Oregonian, October 28, 2009

A federal judge on Wednesday denied a request to release a variety of documents in the death of James P. Chasse, Jr., who was beaten by Portland police officers in 2006 as they tried to take him into custody.

An attorney for Chasse’s family had asked the court to set aside a protective order that barred the public release of the documents, which include an internal investigative review and police training records.

But U.S. Magistrate Garr King said he feared that publicity would influence potential jurors in the civil case that is scheduled to go to court next year.

“What I want to do is obtain an untainted jury,” King said.

Tom Steenson, the attorney for the Chasse family, argued in court documents that the city and the police bureau violated the order when they announced the findings of an internal review last month. Steenson also asserted that the order has prevented him and the family from commenting on that announcement.

But the city argued that it did not violate the order because it did not release any confidential internal affairs documents.

READ – about Garr King

The Mental Health Action Group at First Unitarian Church of Portland presents a free screening and discussion of the eye-opening public television program MINDS ON THE EDGE: Facing Mental Illness.

Thursday, October 29, 2009, 7:00 – 9:00 PM
First Unitarian Church Sanctuary
1211 SW Main St., Portland

Mental Health Action Group: www.mhag.homestead.com or www.firstunitarianportland.org

Learn more about Minds on the Edge at www.mindsontheedge.org

See – flyer for Minds on the Edge, presented by the Mental Health Action Group

Mike Quinn has graciously donated post-production services for ALIEN BOY, a documentary film about what happened to James Chasse produced by the Mental Health Association of Portland. Quinn is the co-founder of Mission Control, an internationally renowned post-production house here in Portland. Here he is in the “machine room” down there:

QUINN: “This video recorder cost $150,000.” BOO-YA!

“I’ve just got to post a Quicktime for NBC to look at, real quick,” said Quinn, when we dropped in this afternoon to take a look at the facilities. At his desk, three monitors stood next to a huge plasma screen TV, as a commercial for an electronics manufacturer played away. Quinn pushed a few buttons, called a colleague, and told him, “that file is on your desktop.” You get the sense he’s a man comfortable with complex technology:

CABLES:“These are all connected to something…”

Quinn started in television while at high school in Idaho. He got a job as a cameraman aged 15 at KALEW TV, after showing up and pretty much refusing to go away. For three years he was a photographer on the TV show Fishing The West, “and I was in my early twenties,” he laughs, “going and fishing the best fishing spots in the country with some of the best guides, but all I wanted at the time was to be in the city with my buddies.”

After 31 years in the business he now edits commercials for clients such as Nike, Nutrisystem, Coca Cola, EA Sports, Seadoo, as well as offering some of his many edit suites out to independent film makers. In the 1980s, Quinn worked with director Jim Blashfield on famous videos for the likes of Peter Gabriel & Kate Bush (Don’t Give Up), Paul Simon (Boy In The Bubble), and even Tears for Fears (Sowing The Seeds Of Love)—which won the MTV award for Breakthrough Video.

Hearing the list of Quinn’s clients was already pretty intimidating. But when he told us about those music videos, we were pretty taken aback. That Sowing The Seeds Of Love video, for example, is world famous.

Quinn shot the first ever music video, he thinks, for Portland punk band Poison Idea, back in the early 1980s, using a Portapak on loan from Jefferson High School. “It was a magnet school for culture students back then,” he says, of the ailing high school in North Portland, that is still famous for athletics, less so for having “the biggest TV studio in the city, including TV stations,” as it was back then.

EYE FOR DETAIL: Quinn Reviews A Commercial With Editor Matt Demarest

Anne Galisky, the director of Papers, a documentary about undocumented schoolchildren, was in one of Quinn’s edit suites this afternoon, working on color correction with Mission Control colorist Slater Dixon. “I love this place,” said Galisky. “They’ve been wonderful. We had a sold-out screening the other day, and people thought the film was shot on 35mm film, and that was the impact that this place had.”

“We’re about perfection,” says Quinn. “We try not to let anything out of the door that leaves any doubt for the audience about what they are watching.”

Mission Control will do color correction on ALIEN BOY, and add some graphics. “All motion pictures get color graded,” says Quinn. “We want to give the film a polished look.”

“Sometimes people are given power who aren’t necessarily ready for it,” says Quinn, when asked what attracted him to donate to the film. “This is an important project—knowing what happened to James Chasse, sometimes there are people who need to step up and pay for what they’ve done.”

Everything about Mission Control feels slick. From the multiple monitors to the incredible screening room (with Hollywood lights), to the well-stocked fridge in the kitchen. ALIEN BOY has hit the big time.