Courtesy of James Han

Last May, Disability Rights Connecticut published a report aiming to expose the wrongdoings of Connecticut Mental Health Center, a state-owned inpatient psychiatric facility in New Haven. The report revealed issues with patient safety, sexual abuse and the use of restraint and seclusion.

Following this report in October, CMHC staff released an anonymous follow-up letter revealing their own concerns regarding the hospital’s management, citing concerns about specific members of staff and their unregulated practices.

State lawmakers on the Public Health Committee aim to discuss the issue in the coming legislative session. State Sen. Saud Anwar, who chairs the committee, explained that there will be the possibility of expanding oversight by Connecticut’s Department of Public Health. Anwar’s press aide, Joseph O’Leary, stated that the team “don’t expect a conclusion to come in the immediate future.”

Currently, most state-owned inpatients are not supervised by independent bodies, the one exception being Whiting Forensic Hospital in Middletown, Connecticut.

Attorneys within DRCT, such as Rachel Mirsky, have called for greater oversight of state-owned inpatient units, voicing concerns about the complaints being placed against CMHC. 

“Outside entities are not really looking at what’s going on at Connecticut Mental Health Center or other inpatient psychiatric hospitals that are owned by the state, with the exception of one,” said Rachel Mirsky, supervising attorney at DRCT.

The Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, which runs centers like CMHC, responded that there is already rigorous oversight in place.

Sen. Anwar proposed Senate Bill 477 highlighting the need to address improvements in how state-run psychiatric facilities are run. He wrote to the News that this puts us “in a better place as a starting point.”

Currently, the question of oversight is framed by issues regarding budget limitations. Last year, staff from the department of public health were proposed to oversee healthcare in prisons. Creating this new office — under bill SB 957 — had an estimated cost of $2.4 million.

“If the financial issues and budgetary restraints restrict us, then we’ll have to find other options,” Anwar said.

Regardless of budget, Anwar told the News that the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services is committed to improving mental health care quality and that he is holding them accountable for updates on oversight strategy. 

“I wish I had a magic wand that could tell you this is what we need, and all of these things would fall into place and we would have the best system of care,” Sarah Gadsby, CEO of River Valley Services in Connecticut, said. “It’s just not that easy, and it’s not that black and white.”

CMHC is located at 34 Park St.