Press Release

Date: 6/21/2005
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Investigation finds death at the Arkansas State Hospital Preventable

Failure to properly supervise a patient results in patient choking death.

Full report on the death will be delivered to State Legislative committee hearing regarding the abuse at the Arkansas State Hospital.

The investigation was conducted by the Disability Rights Center, the federally established Protection & Advocacy System, authorized by federal law to investigate incidents of abuse and neglect of people with disabilities in Arkansas.

Final death investigation report findings include:

• Staff inaccurately identified the patient as asleep when he was choking to death
• Routine checks on the patient were not performed
• Hospital staff left a patient unattended in a room used for restraint and seclusion for extended period of time violating hospital policy of the use of this room
• ASH failed to follow hospital policies and procedures which may have contributed to the patient's death
• ASH failed to maintain emergency communications equipment
• Hospital Administration violated the Protection & Advocacy access authority to investigate death (per federal law)

The Disability Rights Center will hold a press conference prior to the House and Senate Public Health, Welfare and Labor committee hearing.

On: June 22, 2005 10:00 AM
At: Steps of the Arkansas State Capital

DRC will go into detail about its findings and recommendations. The final report on the DRC death investigation will be available at the press conference.

For further information, please email us or call either:
Jan Baker, Senior Staff Attorney or Adam Butler, Staff Attorney
Disability Rights Center, 501-296-1775

Download the press release in PDF format.
Download the investigative report summary in PDF format.

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This publication was made possible by funding support from the Center for Mental Health Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. These contents are solely the responsibility of the grantee (Disability Rights Center) and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Center for Mental Health Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.