The Mental Health Association of Portland and Oregon Health Sciences University together welcome Greg Roberts, MSW, and Mark Diamond, DO, for a public talk on October 28, 2010 at 7 PM.

Greg Roberts is the new superintendent of the Oregon State Hospital. Mark Diamond has been the Chief Medical Officer for the past year.

The Oregon State Hospital is our most complex, most controversial state organization. With three campuses, over 900 certified beds, a reputation in the media and mental health community for substandard care, new construction, and budget cuts looming, the Oregon State Hospital presents a daunting management challenge.

We’re anxious to hear directly from Roberts and Diamond about their vision for the future of the hospital, about clinical strategies, about recruitment of new staff, about community relations, about responding the the Department of Justice report, the current JCAHO survey, and other items.

A reception will start for Greg and Mark at 6 PM in the foyer at McKenzie Hall. Their talk will begin at 7 PM. This event is free and open to the public. Medical professionals working with public mental health clients are strongly encouraged to attend.

Download a flyer for this event.

Recent news stories about the Oregon State Hospital are archived here.

This event is co-sponsored by Portland Hearing Voices, Cascadia Behavioral Healthcare, Disability Rights Oregon, NAMI of Multnomah County, the Mental Health America of Oregon, Empowerment Initiatives, and others.

From Madness Radio, Sept. 25, 2010

Alternatives, the mental health consumer/survivor conference with more than 1,000 participants annually, has withdrawn its previous approval for a workshop on coming off psychiatric medications.

The workshop, based in a pro-treatment choice, harm-reduction philosophy, was to share information about continuing, reducing, or coming off medications. After approving the workshop in June, the National Empowerment Center, which organizes the conference to be held in Anaheim California, made a last-minute decision to change the title and description to remove any reference to coming off medications.

Will Hall, an internationally-recognized schizophrenia survivor and radio host who was set to lead the workshop, decided that he could not go along with the decision and will not be attending the conference. “Coming off medications is a topic vital to wellness and recovery, and should not be censored,” he said.

The controversial move by the National Empowerment Center comes in the wake of a recent similar decision to bar Robert Whitaker, a Pulitzer finalist investigative journalist whose work spotlights medication dangers and growing evidence that non-drug alternatives work better for some patients. Whitaker was restored as a conference keynote speaker only after mental health advocates mobilized quickly on the internet to challenge the decision.

The annual Alternatives conference is organized by consumer/survivor groups and federally funded. With workshops ranging from wellness, youth, housing, employment, advocacy and diversity issues, Alternatives is the country’s most prominent gathering for mental health consumers, who attend from all US states and as far away as Guam. Medication issues, however, have consistently been excluded from the program.

Hall, who works as a therapist, says he is not anti-medication and does not give medical advice, but instead educates individuals, families, and health care providers to make more informed choices. “People are caught between pro-drug marketing by pharmaceutical companies and the anti-drug message of some activists. We need honest and unbiased information about psychiatric medications, including assessing drug risks and discussing how to come off drugs safely when they aren’t right for you. Many people find medications helpful, but there are huge dangers involved, and sometimes it’s better to reduce medication or slowly go off.”

After several hospitalizations and a diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder schizophrenia, Hall has been medication-free for more than 17 years. He says a combination of holistic health, support groups, and spiritual practice nurtured his recovery from mental illness, but believes that “each person’s path to recovery is different. My work fills a great need for information, and it’s a shame this topic is censored at a national conference that claims to be dedicated to wellness and calls itself ‘Alternatives.’”

Hall is the author of the Harm Reduction Guide to Coming Off Psychiatric Medications, published by mental health peer groups The Icarus Project and Freedom Center. The guide, available freely on the internet, has been distributed to more than 15,000 people and is available in Spanish and German translations.

Oregon State Hospital

An Oregon State Hospital doctor failed to examine a mental patient whose “excessive bleeding” later required surgery at Salem Hospital, according to a state investigation report released Thursday.

READ – Offices of Investigations and Training report on Dr. Alexander Horwitz, issued July 28, 2010

Dr. Alexander Horwitz neglected the female patient’s care during his duty as evening on-call physician at the Salem psychiatric facility on May 26, concludes the report by the state Office of Investigations and Training.

Horwitz, while serving as Officer of the Day on the OSH campus, reportedly failed to examine the patient, even though nurses notified him about the patient’s profuse bleeding. Inexplicably, he neglected to check on the patient even though he visited her treatment ward that same evening.

Horwitz also failed to expedite the patient’s transport to Salem Hospital’s emergency room, “which should have been a high priority for him,” the report says.

Investigators determined that hospital nurses may have saved the patient’s life by arranging for her ambulance transport.

Horwitz, who has worked at OSH since 1995, has been removed from on-call duties and is currently under “strict supervision,” new hospital Superintendent Greg Roberts said Thursday.

The human resources department at OSH is conducting a separate investigation into the case. Additional actions may be taken against Horwitz, pending the outcome of the HR inquiry, officials said.

Roberts, who took the reins of the troubled psychiatric facility on Monday, described the confirmed case of neglect as unacceptable.

“What’s described in the OIT report is not acceptable,” he said. “It doesn’t represent an acceptable level of care.”

Roberts credited nursing staff on the patient’s treatment unit for doing an “outstanding job” on the night of the crisis.

“They worked very hard to make sure the patient was treated, and kudos to them,” he said. “We certainly have issues with the doctor’s performance here, and that’s why it’s going to be investigated.”

In a message sent Thursday to members of the state hospital advisory board, Roberts said: “While this report showed neglect by one person, the nursing staff on duty stepped up and made sure this patient got the care needed.

“We have made significant progress in the improvement of patient care at OSH. Clearly we have further to go and I believe we will get there.”

The patient neglect case involving Horwitz comes in the wake of a high-profile investigation that found lapses in hospital care for a patient who died last fall.

Moises Perez, 42, was found dead in his hospital bed Oct. 17. Witness accounts indicated that his death was not noticed by anyone for several hours. An autopsy determined that he died of coronary artery disease.

An OIT investigation concluded that the hospital neglected Perez by failing to provide him with adequate medical care. Investigators reported that Perez’s caregivers failed to properly treat his chronic medical conditions and failed to develop a proper treatment plan for him.

Former hospital superintendent Roy Orr was forced to resign April 2— the same day the state released the critical report examining the lapses in Perez’s care.

Dr. Michael Robinson, the OSH psychiatrist in charge of Perez’s care, subsequently resigned and five other veteran employees received letters of reprimand for their shortcomings involving Perez.

Unlike the Perez case, the latest patient neglect case centers on allegations against one hospital employee — Horwitz, Roberts said Thursday.

“It comes across to me pretty clearly as an individual performance issue,” he said. “Although he came to the ward, he didn’t actually examine the patient, which certainly raises some serious questions. That’s part of what the (HR) investigation will be focusing on: Why didn’t he examine the patient?”

Horwitz reportedly told investigators that May 26 was a “busy evening” at the hospital.

The report says Horwitz said “his usual practice is to let the RN complete an assessment first. He said he will see a patient if a nurse asks him to see the patient.”

In this case, “Horwitz said the nurse did not ask him to see the patient.”

The doctor denied neglecting the patient.

“Horwitz said no one asked him to do more at the time,” the report says. “He said no one told him there was a need for faster action. He said if they wanted him to be on the ward they could have said so.”

Details about the patient’s medical issues were deleted from the OIT report prior to it being released on Thursday. Hospital officials said the information was edited out to protect the patient’s privacy and to conform with confidentiality provisions of federal law.

The report says that witnesses on the ward described seeing “a steady stream of blood” from the patient on the evening of May 26. One staffer said the blood was “coming like a faucet” and other witnesses reported seeing “a lot of bright red blood in a toilet.”

Some witnesses described “a very foul odor.”

The patient reportedly was hysterical.

Certain details about the patient’s medical treatment at Salem Hospital also were deleted from the OIT report.

The patient arrived at the emergency room at 11:24 p.m. on May 26, the report says. She had been bleeding for almost three hours.

At Salem Hospital, her treatment included removing “foreign items” from an unspecified area of her body, the report says. After the procedure, a doctor could see a “significant injury” with “blood spurting,” it says.

Surgery was performed to stop the bleeding, the report says. The patient reportedly received IV fluids and two units of blood via a transfusion that came after her blood pressure dropped to a dangerous level.

Photo: Flickr.com/Thomas Hawk

After a string of deadly police encounters – most involving a person with mental illness, and most with an utter lack of consequence for the officers involved – many Portlanders have become wary of police.

At a rally tomorrow in downtown Portland, residents will tell the City of Portland and the Police Bureau they want a police force they can trust.

The Rally for Justice and Police Accountability, sponsored by the Albina Ministerial Alliance, will be held Saturday, Sept. 25, at 11 a.m. in Pioneer Square. The event was organized in the wake of multiple excessive-force incidents.

There was Aaron Campbell, who was suicidal when concerned relatives called 9-1-1. Police shot the unarmed man in the back, killing him.

There was Keaton Otis, who died after a traffic stop that ended with police shooting at him 32 times. His parents said Otis had schizoaffective disorder.

There was James Chasse, who was diagnosed with schizophrenia. Although he was not committing any crime, police chased him, beat him, loaded him into a police car and took him into custody, where he died of his injuries.

There were others, including Deontae Keller, Richard “Dickie” Dow, Jose Meija Poot, Kendra James, James Jahar Perez and more.

Portland Police officers who use excessive force, however, act with seeming impunity, with tacit acceptance leading to further incidents. In a shocking example last November, one of the officers involved in Chasse’s death, Chris Humphreys, beanbagged and Tasered a 12-year-old girl.

The lack of accountability has become so glaring that Mayor Sam Adams and Police Chief Mike Reese admit it must change. On Sept. 15, they took a rare step forward, saying they would follow the recommendations of the Use of Force Review Board in the Aaron Campbell case.

The recommendations include firing Officer Ronald Frashour, who fatally shot Campbell on Jan. 29.

Disciplinary action will not, however, extend to Chris Humphreys. His use of force on the 12-year-old was “consistent” with policy, the police chief said.

The Portland Police Association cried foul at the thought that any officer would face consequences.

“This decision by Chief Reese and Mayor Adams sets a dangerous precedent,” they said in a statement. “What cannot happen is for Portland police officers to face termination and substantial discipline for doing their jobs correctly. If that occurs… public safety is deeply compromised.”

But Reese heralded the actions as a sign of accountability and a demonstration of commitment to “learning from tragic incidents such as [the Campbell shooting].”

Should we take Reese at his word, relax and welcome a new era of police accountability?

Not according to Portland attorney Chris O’Connor, a board member of the Mental Health Association of Portland and a scheduled speaker at the rally.

The proposed discipline, he says, is “certainly a milestone,” but it’s not enough. “It doesn’t change the lack of civilian oversight, doesn’t address the legislative changes needed on use of force issues, and doesn’t stop the same use of force decisions from being made in the future.”

“The city is able to maintain the status quo and wait out the community outrage after a shooting or use of force incident by engaging in a long, secret process of investigation and delay,” O’Connor said.

“By the time a decision is made, the public isn’t paying attention,” he said. “For example, Officer Humphreys was just cleared in a disciplinary process related to the use of a shotgun fired beanbag against a twelve year old girl. There was little attention or focus paid to that outcome despite the community outrage when the incident originally happened.”

That’s why the rally is still needed, says O’Connor.

“The rally will help re-focus the community on needed reforms and let the police chief, the mayor and the legislature know that changes need to happen in order to have a police oversight process that the community can trust and rely on.”

Join the rally:
Saturday, September 25
Pioneer Square
11 a.m.

Find out more:
Rally information on MHAP’s site
Rally information on Facebook

MY VIEW • Rose City shouldn’t base its decisions on Giuliani’s flawed actions
Published in the Portland Tribune, by Chani Geigle-Teller, September 22, 2010

Protecting civil and human rights is fundamentally important to Sisters Of The Road and other thoughtful, engaged Portland citizens.

The Tribune’s recent article about how our community shares its public spaces was full of misinformation, stereotypes, leading statements and fear-based reporting that harms our vibrant city (Would Rudy Giuliani put up with this?, Sept. 9). Creating made-up scapegoats for our economic troubles is an unhealthy Band-Aid to problems that are hurting communities, businesses and families nationwide.

Of course, it is a little uncomfortable to be asked for spare change when we are worried about house payments, our children’s oversized classrooms and job security. Most people understand that they are only one paycheck or medical bill away from being unable to take care of themselves and their families. Whether you are sleeping on the streets in downtown Portland or in a home in the suburbs, most of us are finding it a little harder to get a good night’s rest these days.

At Sisters, we know that as communities of people we have the capability to come together to create the kind of change that will ensure that all of our basic needs are met and we are safe and comfortable in neighborhoods across the country.

Some would have us believe that we are unsafe walking down the street, but how you perceive public safety will depend on where you stand in society. The Portland Police Bureau reports that crime in general continues to decrease. Laws that “clean up our streets” for “livability” purposes not only jeopardize our civil rights, but cost us bundles in taxpayer dollars. Every dollar we spend on jails and courts could be spent in our communities on homes, creating jobs, public transportation and schools.

Mayor Rudy Giuliani filled the jails with working-class people using classist, racist laws and created a city that boasts one of the largest concentrations of extreme wealth in the United States. People living in poverty in New York City were reported to have been picked up by city workers and dumped off in other locales, such as New Jersey.

Giuliani’s mayoral terms were known as periods of grave civil rights abuses and rampant police misconduct. Would Portland put up with Giuliani and the draconian grievances he bragged about?

We are sure that Portland would not.

Policing the crisis will not fix the fundamental problem. We are at a crossroads in many ways. We need real solutions, and they do exist. Economic human rights models that include a right to housing, education and treatment, a job with a living wage will prove much more effective in the long run. When pressed, people on all sides of this issue seem to agree on this point. Yet, advocates for “nuisance crime laws” keep crowding out other voices by saying that we need “action now!” They argue that one more law will give them the “tools” to make everything better.

Portland can be proud that we are known throughout the country for our compassionate citizens, engaged communities and strong, civic values.

Sisters Of The Road invites everyone who wants to understand these complex issues and learn some ways to turn this situation around to read the newly released Without Housing Report, produced by our partners at the Western Regional Advocacy Project.

Chani Geigle-Teller is community organizer for Sisters Of The Road Cafe in Old Town.

From KOIN.com, September 21, 2010

Read the affidavit of probable cause, written by Vancouver Police Detective W. Stephan on September 20. It’s clear he understood from his initial investigation on August 31 Bethany Storro was not telling the truth about being attacked. If they had a better understanding of mental illness, officers could have intervened immediately and averted her defrauding compassionate neighbors and friends. Instead she becomes fodder for an ambitious assistant district attorney.

Prosecuting attorneys for Clark County filed theft charges Monday against Bethany Storro, who admitted to burning her own face with drain cleaner Aug. 30.

In a story that was first reported in The Columbian, Clark County Deputy Prosecutor Tony Golik said he filed three second-degree theft charges against the 28-year-old Storro, who admitted last week that her acid burns on her face were self-inflicted.

“And the aggravator is, that the defendant, Ms. Storro, took the money from victims who were acting as good samaritans when they gave the money,” said Golik.

Golik said Tuesday that Storro, who is still hospitalized, will not be taken into custody until she’s released from the hospital. He is expecting an arrest next week.

At that time, Storro can either turn herself in, or officers will arrest her, Golik said.

According to the probable cause papers filed by Vancouver Police,fundraisers for Storro raised more than $25,000 via several outlets.

Storro even garnered $1,000 via PayPal from a donor in California, according to Vancouver Police.

In a lengthy confession with investigators, Storro said she purchased the drain cleaner from a local hardware store and harmed herself in an effort to commit suicide.

Police said Storro already spent some of the funds she collected on a new computer and a trip to Seattle.

She is not presently in police custody but authorities said they are aware of her location.

In Oregon, one in four new mothers reports symptoms of depression, either during or after pregnancy. Even though effective screening and treatment exist, most women with maternal depression are never diagnosed, and among those, only 35 percent receive adequate treatment, according to a new Maternal Mental Health Work Group Report.

The Bath, by Mary Cassatt

Wendy Davis, Ph.D., knows this issue not only as an advocate and chairwoman of the work group, but also from personal experience. Sixteen years ago, she was a new mother of a baby boy. She struggled with anxiety and postpartum depression and, even though she is an experienced therapist, she was not aware of what was happening to her.

“I felt like I was failing, and I didn’t know I would get better. Although I took good care of my baby, I didn’t know how to care for myself. I needed help and I got it,” said Davis, director of Postpartum Support International.

Her experience led her to be an advocate for new laws to help new mothers and their families.

“I’ve learned that Oregon cares about new mothers and their families, and we’re putting that into action,” she said.

The House Human Services Committee, chaired by Rep. Carolyn Tomei, will be presented with the report today, Wednesday, Sept. 22. Committee members had pushed for more information and recommendations about maternal mental health disorders. The work group was created in 2009 because of the passage of House Bill 2666, sponsored by Tomei. The group is made up of representatives from public health, medical providers, researchers, childbirth professionals, community-based support organizations, insurance plans, vulnerable communities and diverse cultures.

“There is a lack of provider education, public awareness, and access to affordable care for women suffering from these common, yet underreported issues,” said Tomei. “Early recognition of risk factors and symptoms reduces adverse health outcomes for both the mother and child ultimately making Oregon families stronger.”

The report focuses on women’s mental health and how a mother’s depression can put her children at risk for serious health, developmental, emotional, behavioral and learning problems that can persist for years. At least 15.6 million children in the United States live with an adult who had major depression in the past year. Regardless of race or age, low-income women are two to three times more likely to have depression than other mothers.

“We hope this report sheds light and makes changes in the way we identify and treat maternal mental health. This is not just important for mothers, but also for the health of their families,” said Katherine Bradley, Ph.D., RN, administrator for the Office of Family Health, Oregon Public Health and a member of the work group.

The report details eight recommendations to improve maternal mental health in Oregon. The top three recommendations provide starting points:

1. Provider training and support: develop and fund a coordinated statewide initiative to train and support health care, public health, addictions, mental health and early childhood providers to understand, identify and address the mental health needs of pregnant, postpartum and post-loss women and families.

2. Public awareness: increase public awareness and understanding of the importance, symptoms, risk factors and stigma associated with maternal mental health disorders.

3. Screening and assessment: make screening and assessment for maternal mental health disorders available to all Oregon women during pregnancy, postpartum and post-loss.

Other recommendations include: ensuring culturally competent services are available; developing an integrated approach to maternal mental health across community and state levels; making sure the Oregon Health Plan covers a full range of screening, assessment and treatment and also eliminating barriers to Medicaid providers’ billing; encouraging private health plans to promote screening and treatment for at least one year after a child’s birth, or the loss of a child; and conducting ongoing monitoring and evaluation of maternal mental health status, needs and outcomes.

The Portland Police Bureau and the Office of Neighborhood Involvement’s Crime Prevention will be collecting unwanted unused prescription medication for safe destruction this Saturday, September 18, 2010 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event will be held at the Gateway Fred Meyer, which is located at Northeast 102nd and Halsey.

These ongoing collection efforts are part of a partnership ONI, the Police Bureau and Fred Meyer to raise awareness about the abuse of prescription drugs among teens, while protecting our waterways.

“This Prescription Drug Turn In provides an opportunity for neighbors to be proactive in keeping dangerous medications out of the hands of teens,” says Stephanie Reynolds, Crime Prevention Program Manager.

“We welcome this partnership with ONI and have really been successful in past events in collecting large amounts of unused prescription drugs,” says Chief Michael Reese. “These drugs normally would have been improperly discarded or left around the house and possibly taken by people who shouldn’t have access to this medication.”

The Police Bureau’s Mobile Precinct will be at the event. Prescriptions can be turned in anonymously, will be collected in a drive through type fashion, and will be disposed of in a safe and secure way.