Patient sues Sharpe Hospital, says he was wrongfully held there for more than 570 days and abused

A patient has filed a lawsuit against William R. Sharpe, Jr. Hospital, saying he has been physically abused and wrongfully held at the Weston, W.Va. facility. (Kristian Thacker | West Virginia Watch)

A young adult male with developmental disabilities has filed a lawsuit against a troubled state-run psychiatric hospital, saying he has been physically abused and wrongfully held at the facility.

The lawsuit, filed May 8, said the patient, known as J.P., was given “false hope” for more than 570 days that he was ready to be discharged from William R. Sharpe Hospital in Weston. 

Disability Rights West Virginia filed the suit on the patient’s behalf. 

“Sharpe Hospital’s clinical records and treatment plans reflect that J.P. is clinically stable and ready for discharge. J.P. remains unlawfully detained at Sharpe Hospital to this day,” the filing said.

DRWV is the state’s federally-mandated protection advocacy system for people with disabilities. 

According to the lawsuit, behavioral health provider Westbrook wrongfully removed J.P. from one of their residences in October 2022 and sent him to Sharpe Hospital. He has not demonstrated the need for psychiatric hospital care, the suit said. 

J.P., who is in his 20s and mostly nonverbal, has lingered without adequate treatment or a plan for discharge, according to DRWV. 

A DRWV investigation last year found that J.P. had been “kicked repeatedly and held down repeatedly with somebody’s shoe that caused the bruising.” A spokesperson for the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources said that the hospital believed the injuries were “likely the result of a fall.”

The suit, filed in Lewis County Circuit Court, seeks to move J.P. to a safe and appropriate community setting.

Sharpe CEO Patrick Ryan, Department of Human Services Secretary Cynthia Persily and Department of Health Facility Secretary Michael Caruso were also named as defendants. 

DRWV has said over and over again that the state is failing to provide enough community placements for people like J.P., who don’t need long-term hospitalization. 

The number of patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities being held at state psychiatric hospitals has nearly tripled to 167 over the last decade. 

Sharpe Hospital has faced scrutiny for patient abuse and “warehousing” patients without plans for discharge or active treatment. 

Additionally, multiple Sharpe staff members were arrested last year and charged with crimes, including a nurse who was charged with murder. The incident didn’t occur at the hospital. 

West Virginia Watched reached out to the DoHS and DHF for comment for this story. 

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