Watchdog warns of poor conditions at Bridgewater State Hospital
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Bridgewater State Hospital
A watchdog report sounded the alarm about a range of poor conditions that observers found at Bridgewater State Hospital, including mold contamination, difficulty accessing treatments and allegedly unlawful ways of restraining patients.
The Disability Law Center, a nonprofit legal services organization designated as the state's protection and advocacy agency, published an 87-page report Wednesday warning about repeated problems that the involuntarily held population at Bridgewater State Hospital faces.
Based on monitoring in the second half of 2023 and review from outside experts, DLC said the hospital and contracted provider Wellpath offered "substandard care" for patients who receive medication for opioid use disorder, frequently relied on violent and unlawful ways of restraining patients, and experienced significant mold contamination.
The group called on the Department of Correction, which oversees Bridgewater State Hospital, to transfer oversight of the facility's population to the Department of Mental Health and to construct a new psychiatric hospital.
"It is clear that neither the care that DOC and Wellpath offer, nor the deteriorating prison facility meet the needs of the BSH population. DLC's monitoring efforts reveal persistent legal violations, abuse, inadequate medical and mental health treatment, and mold contamination at BSH. Transfer of oversight to DMH is long overdue," DLC Litigation Director Tatum Pritchard said. "Failure to prioritize appropriate, stabilizing care and protect individuals with mental health disabilities at BSH from compounding trauma has real consequences for those individuals, their loved ones, and the Commonwealth's larger mental health and criminal justice systems."
Lawmakers who represent Bridgewater visited the medium-security facility on Friday, according to DLC.
In a Jan. 4 letter to DLC included in the report, Department of Correction Commissioner Carol Mici said the department retained a qualified mental health professional to oversee service delivery as well as an independent expert, Dr. Debra Pinals, to review practices at the hospital.
Mici also said the facility has taken steps to ensure uses of restraints "are both accurately tracked and utilized appropriately," and that Wellpath submitted revisions to its policy governing seclusion, restraint and involuntary psychotropic medication.
"The Massachusetts Department of Correction, in coordination with our external medical provider, remains deeply committed to ensuring that patients with complex needs who require strict security hospitalization receive the highest quality of person-centered and trauma-informed care," a DOC spokesperson said Wednesday. "The DOC has enhanced staff training and increased independent oversight by behavioral and mental health experts who have reviewed policies to ensure alignment with Department of Mental Health policies and regulations. These significant measures are designed to ensure the well-being and safety of those living and working at Bridgewater State Hospital."
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