Lawmakers want child welfare failures addressed
LANSING, Mich. (WLNS)– State lawmakers are demanding action on what they claim are “numerous accusations of mistreatment and neglect within youth psychiatric care facilities in Michigan.”
The lawmakers said there has not been enough action to address those concerns in the psychiatric system or the youth detention and juvenile care system.
Parent Jami Vaughn was with lawmakers Thursday as they demanded action from Speaker Joe Tate (D-Detroit).
Her son was in one of the state’s facilities, Walter P. Reuther Psychiatric Hospital and she was troubled by what happened to him.
“They were there to help him get better, they were there to keep him safe. That’s what I trusted them to do and they failed in every area,” Vaughn said.
Back in October Vaughn’s son was attacked by another resident of the building. The video shows him running down the hall but is cornered and beaten to the ground.
“He’s completely terrified,” Vaughn said. “The unfortunate thing is in the event that he still needs care like this, he’s terrified to go back. Or to go anywhere, cause he doesn’t know what’s going to happen.”
The psychiatric facility is overseen by the Michigan Department for Health and Human Services.
State Rep. Jamie Thompson (R-Brownstown) said the experience Vaughn’s son had is one the reasons she’s calling for more action. She serves on the House Families, Children, and Seniors Committee, the House Health Policy Committee, and the House Health Policy Subcommittee on Behavioral Health and she said has been demanding hearings – to no avail.
“We need to do a deep dive into how we’re protecting the kids in the state of Michigan, ” Thompson said.
Thompson cited multiple instances of neglect that people have informed her about. From children escaping to not getting any outside time, and a lack of personal hygiene as well as complaints from parents being unable to visit on weekends. She said the Senate is working on these issues, but the House should be too.
“I promised these families and I gave them my word that I would be their voice and the only way I can be their voice is if this happens in the House of Representatives where I serve on those committees,” Thompson said.
For Vaughn — she just wants changes to keep kids safe.
“You have to be equipped with what’s needed for situations like this. He should never have been left alone and watched. they watched this happen,” Vaughn said.
6 News did reach out to Speaker Tate but has not heard back yet.
Moments before 6 News aired this report, Lynn Sutfin, a spokeswoman for MDHHS, sent the following statement:
The health and safety of our staff and patients is our top concern. As part of the state’s continued commitment to providing behavioral health services to Michigan families, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services announced in April 2023, the upcoming construction of a new inpatient psychiatric hospital that would care for patients currently served at both Hawthorn Center and Walter P. Reuther Psychiatric Hospital in Westland. The new hospital is being made possible by a $325 million FY23 budget allocation and will be located at the site of the former Hawthorn Center. To accommodate the construction of the new facility, youth patients from Hawthorn Center were moved to a separate wing at Walter Reuther Psychiatric Hospital as of June 28, 2023.
Michigan’s state hospitals are accredited by The Joint Commission and are committed to providing evidence-supported, person-centered inpatient care to individuals in an environment that values compassion, collaboration and community reintegration.
We are always happy to participate in hearings and work together with our legislators. We welcome the opportunity to respond to any questions they may have and have already responded to questions and provided tours of Walter Reuther Psychiatric Hospital to Rep. Thompson and other legislators.
Lynn Sutfin, spokeswoman MDHHS, email statement to 6 News
She added information on what actions state officials are taking to address the concerns.
As part of our commitment to expanding access to behavioral health services, MDHHS has invested more than $360 million over the past two years to ensure families can receive services when and where they need them. This has included increasing access to community-based services to allow for interventions before an individual needs to be admitted into a residential facility and to have services and support for a healthy and successful transition back to the community following a stay at one of Michigan’s state hospitals. As part of this effort, the state has worked to increase the number of providers in Michigan through scholarships, as well as continue to improve access to care through certified community behavioral health clinics, psychiatric residential treatment facilities, crisis stabilization units and mobile crisis response units to help improve access to behavioral health care for youth and adults.
$279.7 million to expand the number of Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHC) sites in Michigan.
$45 million to improve facilities for school-based health services and $28.9 million to continue school-based mental health services on campuses.
$5 million for the Michigan Crisis and Access line.
$5 million to offer scholarships for those going to college studying behavioral health and strengthen the health care workforce.
$38 million for the Pine Rest pediatric behavioral health center to offer a comprehensive continuum of care for children and teens.
$32 million for establishing crisis stabilization units.
$10 million for establishing psychiatric residential treatment facilities (PRTF). Since June 2023, 28 youth have served by PRTFs, 15 of them discharged from Walter Reuther.
Lynn Sutfin, spokeswoman MDHHS, email to 6 News
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