Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Clarification, RE: August 22, 2013, article "Complicity between the Phoenix Police Department and administrators at The Arizona State Hospital, wherein fundamental rights specific to equal protection and due process under the law are violated in defiance of the United States Bill of Rights." 

Through my personal experiences, I know for a fact that the patients at The Arizona State Hospital are graphically discriminated against on the basis of their status as seriously mentally ill and disabled. During the entirety of my 13 full months as an ASH patient, I witnessed and was subjected to this reality on a day to day basis. In no other public setting would any citizen's rights be so grossly denied, but at ASH- a hospital no less- the administrative staff and senior clinicians patently defy the provisions of state and federal law as a matter of standard practice. They do this because they believe they can get away with it, for no other reason than the disability(s) affecting ASH patients as a whole. It is that simple. It is that bad.

PHOENIX POLICE: RE: Case #2012-BHS-0263-DHS. Wherein the possibility of police discrimination against patients arises. 


As per the request, I offer this clarification. Yes, the issues underlying this case, wherein I contend that I was physically assaulted by a staff member at The Arizona State Hospital, were considered in a court hearing facilitated in the Arizona Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH). But this "court" is not, in fact, a true court of law. Rather, OAH is an independent entity that has no relation to state authority in the legal sense, and as such, operates with no legitimate authority in comparison to the standard court system. The judges are hired with no public participation whatsoever, and the dynamics specific to hearings such as this one are anything but equitably fashioned in the context of jurisprudence. 

AS FOLLOWS:

A)
     For example, in each of the five hearings wherein I- as the citizen/plaintiff/appellee- presented my evidence specific to patient abuse and related administrative misconduct at ASH and beyond in the Arizona Department of Health/Behavioral Health Services, I was required to do so in contest with the Office of the Arizona Attorney General- arguably the most powerful law firm in the state! That office does, in fact, have more authority then OAH actually does; and as such, Joel "the mortician" Rudd, the rat bastard who I was required to present my concerns to, possesses virtual authority over the proceeding then the judge's themselves do; and for this reason alone, none of the data that I brought before this court was reasonably utilized in terms of the given judges' consideration. These details in themselves illustrate as unfair a legal process as may be in effect today, in Arizona, and beyond. 

B)

Furthermore, regardless of any OAH judge's findings in hearings such as this one (specific to issues arising in relation to the AZ Department of Health's various services), the given director of the Department has the authority to overrule or otherwise redirect the given evidentiary materials as per his discretion. This, regardless of the merits specific to the appellee's evidence, including testimony, applicable statutes, and so on. Fair to say, herein, that there is little to no chance of any good faith report specific to unlawful conduct at ASH surviving in this sort of legal procedure; for, in each of the five hearings that I presented my concerns in hearings convened in the AZ Office of Administrative Hearings, the given judges' findings were ultimately reviewed by no other than Will Humble himself, the same man directly responsible for hiring Cory "crazycorycorner" Nelson to the position of The Arizona State Hospital in 2011. And as my writing has shown to date, as well as ongoing major media reports specific to Nelson's graphic ineptitude, this man- who refused to acknowledge the merits of my evidence in those hearings- has now been exposed as a virtual accomplice in terms of condoning the substandard conditions and related patient abuse at ASH. 

It is that simple. It is really that bad.

So yes, of course my allegations specific to having been assaulted by an ASH staff person were not deemed legitimate in the above hearing "2102-BHS-0263-DHS." 

But these actual realities, as bad as they are, have nothing to do with the fact that my most fundamental constitutional rights were grossly violated at that point in time when I exercised my right to report my allegations to Phoenix police, as illustrated in my 08/22/13 article. 

And this is an issue that extends far beyond the authority of WILL "YEA TEAM!" HUMBLE, JOEL "THE MORTICIAN" RUDD, and so on. 

As stated in that article, and as presented in the accompanying documentary evidence, the factual evidence specific to the incident itself was manipulated to such an extent that the initial police investigation occurred in direct violation of my constitutional rights, as spelled out in the US Bill of Rights, specific to equal protection and due process. As follows: 

     1) My lawful request to report the 7:45 a.m.attack to Phoenix police was denied for no less than 7 full hours, which amounts to nothing less than a direct violation of my rights specific to equal protection under the law; 
     2) During which time my own attending psychiatrist, Dr. Pervaiz Akhter, attempted to coerce me, by informing me in a one of one meeting that he had reviewed the attendant video evidence, and had therein come to the conclusion that no assault had occurred. In the legal sense, this man had no right whatsoever to advise me in this context, for not only is he not an attorney with absolutely no authority in terms of my right to report my allegations, his status as a senior level clinical staff at ASH belies an undeniable conflict of interest, and he made it very clear to me at that time, that he would use my claim against me, by degrading my given credibility specific to the opinions of other ASH staff, and so on. It was as clear a act of willful coercion that I was shocked at the time, and I told him as much;
     3) During which timeASH security staff approached me as I sat alone waiting to file the report late in the afternoon, and advised me that reporting the incident to Phoenix police "is a bad idea… but if (I) still want to go through with it, you are on your own from here on out…."; 
     4) At which point, I was led to a room where 4 police officers were waiting, where one them immediately stated "We have already been informed that this is a false report… that it didn't happen…. and that you are known to be a liar….";
     5) At which point, this same officer left the room in order to "review the video" evidence, and upon coming back a few minutes later, stated "You weren't assaulted by anyone… no staff person so much as approached you… no waving arms, no pushing or hitting, nothing…."

No aspect of the above details meet the requirements of common law, this in terms of due process, equal protection, and any citizen's right to report criminal conduct in any given circumstances. Standard practice at The Arizona State Hospital, which illustrates the bare bones fact that the patients at ASH are being graphically discriminated against on the basis of their status as seriously mentally ill and disabled.


Summary: It is critical to realize that my experiences specific to this one single incident are nothing unusual. At The Arizona State Hospital, patients' rights in every sense imaginable are violated as a matter of standard practice, and this certainly extends to those times when any patient seeks to hold ASH staff accountable in the manner that I did. ASH staff use a range of methods by which to discredit any patient's voice, including but not limited to declaring said patient as "delusional"regardless of any patients actual diagnosis and related behavioral characteristics. I attest to having witnessed and having been subjected to this precise sort of misconduct on a near daily basis. 

It really is that bad. 


IN CLOSING: I am very hesitant to release more data specific to this matter, but what I've included here is already a matter of public record, anyway. Herein, I am offering a basic clarification in terms of the fact that I was never granted legitimate legal recourse by which to seek relief in this matter, for the Phoenix police department refused to abide by applicable provisions specific to equal protection under the law and the related terms of due process under the law. Likewise, when I subsequently sought to report the matter with the assistance of the Hospital patient advocate during normal operating hours, which is when the patient advocate works), Phoenix police refused to appear and take that report during normal business hours, in blatant denial of my request to that effect. That is the status of this case as it still stands today, and when the appropriate time arises, I am my associates will present this data yet again.

In the meantime, I am still willing to ask that you- oh reader- seek whatever means you are most comfortable with in order to voice your own personal feelings about the deplorably substandard conditions at The Arizona State Hospital. Patient abuse is illegal, unconscionable, and 100% inconsistent with public sentiment. But at ASH, patient abuse is literally a given, as per standard practice. Substandard medical-mental heath care and practice, and they are getting away with it, lock-stock-and barrel. I have prepared a "Resource Ideas" page, (see "What a Great Time…" April 30, 2012), which has the applicable contact information by which to direct your feelings, in support of the patient community at ASH. Let's bring this shit to an end. Now. 

paoloreed@gmail.com







Saturday, August 24, 2013

You Don't Say. It is clear to me that the endemic presence of ongoing discrimination and violations of seriously mentally ill person rights in most any public hospital in American today (even today!) flows directly from the fact that many high ranking state employees granted the responsibility of overseeing mental health care are patently unqualified in this context. This may be due to simple ineptitude, or it may have everything to do with such persons' lack of ethos, including outright criminal nature- aka: "societally sanctioned sociopathy". Whatever the case, the trickle down effects of this reality always/necessarily land squarely on the the heads of the patients. This is the state of affairs today, and it needs to stop.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Report: CA mental hospital exec in sex probe

Posted: Aug 23, 2013 9:29 AM by Associated Press 
Updated: Aug 23, 2013 10:11 AM

LOS ANGELES (AP) - The Los Angeles Times says an executive hired to overhaul California's state mental hospitals is under investigation for sexual harassment.
--------------------------------------------------------
I RARELY POST STORIES EMERGING IN OTHER PARTS OF THE NATION SPECIFIC TO THE RAMPANT PRESENCE OF DISCRIMINATION AND RELATED ABUSES OF SERIOUSLY MENTALLY ILL AND DISABLED AMERICANS.  BUT THIS STORY IS EMERGING IN CALIFORNIA, AND ANYONE WITH A FAMILIARITY OF ARIZONA KNOWS THAT THESE TWO STATES SHARE A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP IN TERMS OF LAW AND POLICY. HEREIN, A RELEVANCE IN TERMS OF THE FACT THAT ISSUES DIRECTLY ASSOCIATED WITH HOW AND WHY SUBSTANDARD CONDITIONS  IN PUBLIC MENTAL HEALTH FACILITIES STILL EXIST TODAY HAVE EVERYTHING TO DO WITH THE INEPTITUDE OF THOSE PERSONS WITH THE MOST AUTHORITY. INDIVIDUALS WHO FUNCTION IN POSITIONS LITERALLY AT THE TOP OF THE GIVEN PUBLIC HEALTH CARE FOOD CHAIN, AND WHO COLLECT EXORBITANT SALARIES THAT ARE FUNDED BY THE PUBLIC- INCLUDING THEIR VERY OWN CLIENT-PATIENTS AND PATIENTS' FAMILIES- IN BLATANT SPITE OF THE PUBLIC'S WISH THAT SUCH CONDITIONS BE OUTLAWED. CORRUPTION AT ITS UGLIEST, PREDATORY AND OUTRIGHT CRIMINAL IN NATURE. IT REALLY IS THAT BAD.

IF YOU DO CHOOSE TO READ THE ABOVE CITED NEWS REPORT,  I ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONSIDER THE PRESENCE OF  THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUALS, WHO CURRENTLY PLAY MAJOR ROLES AT THE ARIZONA STATE HOSPITAL AND BEYOND IN THE AZ PULIC HEALTH CARE CONSTRUCT: 

       -JOEL RUDD (ASSISTANT ARIZONA ATTORNEY GENERAL, AND ASH'S PRIMARY LEGAL COUNSEL FOR AT LEAST 15 YEARS), WHO HAS WILLFULLY TURNED A BLIND EYE TOWARDS THE RAMPANT WRONGDOING AT ASH IN VIRTUALLY EVERY SENSE IMAGINABLE. AS THE ONE STATE EMPLOYEE AT ASH AFFORDED THE ROLE OF PROTECTING ARIZONA'S CITIZENRY AS A WHOLE- INCLUDING AND PARTICULARLY ASH'S SERIOUSLY MENTALLY ILL AND DISABLED PATIENT COMMUNITY- WHO ADDITIONALLY HAS THE TRAINING AND RELATED KNOWLEDGE BASE SPECIFIC TO APPLICABLE LAW AND POLICY IN TERMS OF THE ASH OPERATION IN GENERAL, RUDD HAS LONG BEEN IN THE BEST POSITION TO BOTH (1) IDENTIFY ALL/ANY ILLEGAL ACTIONS SPECIFIC TO SAID OPERATION; (2) AS WELL AS TO REDIRECT SUCH ACTIONS BY SIMPLY ADVISING ASH ADMINISTRATORS OF APPLICABLE LAW AND POLICY.  RUDD'S BLATANT FAILURE TO REPORT ANY ILLEGAL ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIONS TAKEN BY ASH'S SUPERVISORY STAFF IS UNCONSCIONABLE, AND HE KNOWS IT.  NO ONE SPECIFIC BODY OF RECENT EVIDENCE MORE ILLUSTRATES THIS ISSUE THAN THE UNDERLYING FACTS SPECIFIC TO THE BRUTAL 2011 MURDER OF APRIL MOTT  (SEE THIS PUBLICATION: "A MODERN DAY HORROR STORY" APRIL 5, 2012). THEREIN, I CONTEND THAT RUDD WAS VERY MUCH AT THE TABLE WHEN SENIOR ASH CLINICIANS OPTED TO COVER UP THE LATE MAY, 2011, ESCAPE OF JESUS RINCON MURIETTA, A COVER UP THAT MOST DEFINITELY OCCURRED IN DEFIANCE OF APPLICABLE STATE LAW WITH THE FULL SUPPORT OF ASH ADMINISTRATORS AT THE TIME, AND WHICH CONSEQUENTLY LED TO MS. MOTT'S TRAGIC DEATH. AS WITH MY CONCERNS ABOUT DONNA NORIEGA'S HISTORY AT ASH, THERE IS NO WAY THAT THIS IS THE ONLY TIME THAT RUDD
ENGAGED IN ENDORSING UNLAWFUL ADMINISTRATIVE CONDUCT AT ASH, FOR HE HAS BEEN THERE FOR MANY YEARS, AND I KNOW FOR A FACT HE HAS TURNED A BLIND EYE IN THIS CONTEXT ON MYRIAD OTHER OCCASIONS. 

     -CORY NELSON (ASH SUPERVISOR 2012,  RECENTLY PROMOTED TO THE POSITION OF DIRECTOR, ARIZONA BEHAVIORAL HELATH SERVICES), WHO WAS IDENTIFIED AS BEING INVOLVED IN A HIGHLY QUESTIONABLE FISCAL ARRANGEMENT SPECIFIC TO HIS FORMER POSITION IN THE SOUTH DAKOTA HEATH CARE SYSTEM (2010); AND WHO TODAY WAS BEEN IDENTIFIED IN PHOENIX AREA MEDIA AS FAILING TO SERVE HIS OBLIGATIONS AT ASH, TO THE DIRECT DETRIMENT OF ASH PATIENTS AND STAFF ALIKE. I HAVE DATA THAT CEARLY ILLUSTRATES THIS MAN'S UTTER INEPTITUDE AND RELATED LACK OF MORALITY THAT DIRECTLY IMPACTED MY FLOW OF TREATMENT WHILE I WAS HOSPITALIZED AT ASH, AND HE DID SO IN GRAPHIC CONTRADICTION TO HIS REQUIRED OBLIGATIONS AS THE ONE MAN MOST RESPONSIBLE FOR THE OVERALL OPERATION OF ASH.

     -WILL HUMBLE  (CURRENT DIRECTOR, DEPARTMENT OF ARIZONA HEALTH CARE SERVICES), WHO HIRED CORY NELSON IN THE FIRST PLACE AFTER NELSON DUCKED OUT OF SOUTH DAKOTA BEFORE BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE ABOVE MENTIONED FISCAL MISCONDUCT, AND WHO IS (EVEN NOW) CONTINUING TO CONDONE THE CLEARLY EXPOSED WRONGDOING AT ASH, INCLUDING DATA THAT HAS CONFIRMED THE PRESENCE OF PATIENT ABUSE AND OTHER LIKE DETAILS SPECIFIC TO THE DISMALLY SUBSTANDARD CONDITIONS AT ASH. I HAVE DATA SPECIFIC TO HUMBLE'S ROLE IN DENYING CLEAR EVIDENCE TO THIS EFFECT, DATA THAT STEMS FROM A NUMBER OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS WHEREIN I TOOK MY EVIDENCE IN FRONT OF ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGES IN 2012, ONLY TO HAVE NELSON REJECT THE MERITS OF SUCH DATA, TIME AND TIME AGAIN. 

      -DONNA NORIEGA (CURRENT INTERIM SUPERVISOR AT ASH, FORMAL CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER), WHO WAS FOUND GUILTY AND THUS CENSORED BY THE ARIZONA BOARD OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH EXAMINERS IN 2012 FOR ENGAGING IN HIGLY UNLAWFUL CONDUCT SPECIFIC TO HER DUTIES AT ASH.  NORIEGA HAS WORKED AT ASH FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, AND AS SUCH, COMMON SENSE BELIES THE FACT THAT THERE IS SIMPLY NO WAY THAT THIS ONE SINGULAR BIT OF EVIDENCE REPRESENTS THE FULL STORY IN TERMS OF HER BEHAVIORAL HISTORY AT ASH. I  FURTHERMORE ATTEST TO THE FACT THAT SHE FLATLY LIED TO ME OR OTHERWISE MISREPRESENTED THE TRUTH ON AT LEAST FIVE OCCASIONS WHEN I TURNED TO HER DURING MY TIME AT ASH, IN THE BASIC HOPE THAT SHE WAS WILLING AND ABLE TO DO THE RIGHT THING- AND I HAVE THE DATA TO PROVE THIS WELL BEYOND REASONABLE DOUBT. 
  
THE MISCONDUCT OF THESE FOUR INDIVIDUALS ONLY SCRATCHES THE SURFACE IN TERMS OF UNDERSTANDING THE ENDEMIC PRESENCE AT ASH OF PERSONS WHO ARE WILLING TO IGNORE THE NEEDS AND RIGHTS OF ASH'S SERIOUSLY MENTALLY ILL AND DISABLED PATIENTS, AT THE EXPENSE OF ARIZONA TAX PAYERS, AND IN DEFIANCE OF ESTABLISHED LAW AND POLICY. 

FOR SHROUDED UNDER THE VIRTUAL PROTECTION OF THESE SORTS OF PEOPLE, AT ASH YOU WILL FIND SENIOR LEVEL PSYCHIATRIC STAFF WHO HALE FROM AND WERE EDUCATED-TRAINED IN DRASTICALLY THIRD WORLD NATIONS SUCH AS PAKISTAN, THE PHILIPPINES, AND INDIA, AND AS SUCH, WHO POSSES NO FUNDAMENTAL CULTURAL/BEHAVIORAL CHARACTERISTICS KNOWN TO BE CONSISTENT WITH DEMOCRACY OR HUMAN RIGHTS. AS A MAN OF AMERICAN INDIAN DESCENT, AS WELL AS IRISH AND GERMAN, I AM NO KIND ON NATIONALIST NOR RACIST. BUT I DO UNDERSTAND CULTURAL RELATIONS, AS PER MY GRADUATE LEVEL EDUCATION, AND I CONTEND THAT THIS SIMPLE FACT UNDERLIES THE HOW AND WHYS SPECIFIC TO THE SUBSTANDARD FLOW OF CARE AND TREATMENT OF ASH'S SERIOUSLY MENTALLY ILL AND DISABLED PATIENT COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE. INDEED, THE ATMOSPHERE WITHIN THE CONFINES OF ASH IS SURREAL BEYIND EASY BELIEF, AND I ATTEST TO THIS, FOR I EXPERIENCED IT FIRSTHAND, DAY IN AND DAY OUT FOR THIRTEEN FULL MONTHS.  

SUBSTANDARD MENTAL-MEDICAL HEALTH CARE AS A MATTER OF STANDARD PRACTICE, AND THEY ARE GETTING AWAY WITH IT. 


But you know this by now, of course.

paoloreed@gmail.com




The Arizona State Hospital and
Patient Abuse.


THE FOLLOWING IS A BASIC RERUN/REWRITE OF MY FIRST
ARTICLE, ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON APRIL 02, 2012, LESS THAN TWO MONTHS FOLLOWING MY FEB. 21 DISCHARGE FROM THE ARIZONA STATE HOSPITAL.

           Hello. My name is PJ Reed. (photo Flagstaff, AZ, Feb. 2012 [10 days after my discharge from the Arizona State Hospital] )

paoloreed@gmail.com 

I have little to fall upon in trying to introduce this blog beyond my immediate past history. But I will state here and now, that this is about the radically dismal state of affairs at the Arizona State Hospital, where doctors, nurses and technicians alike act in unison on a daily basis in abusing the fundamental human rights of patients in a manner and to a degree that is undeniably beyond acceptability in this day in age; and Hospital administrators, as well as Arizona Department of Health Services representatives go out of their way to both distort the truth about this matter as well as effectively condone the misconduct via their egregious unwillingness to do anything about it. I very recently discharged from the Arizona State Hospital (ASH), and I attest to these things. My accounting of my experiences while at ASH is drawn from pure and straight forward, simple fact(s), and I am willing to publicize the very most private aspects of my life story as it stands today simply because the patient abuse at ASH has to stop. ASH administrative officers and clinical staff are currently working in clear complicity with state officials in order to allow ASH to operate at a level of sub-standard mental health care, and they are getting away with it. Somebody has to do something about it, bottom line, and this single reality is what compels me today to introduce this blog to the publics' eye.    

                       My story in relation to ASH began as follows:


In May, 2010, I awoke at approximately 9:30 a.m. from my fourth attempt to committ suicide on a hillside overlooking the west side of Tucson, Arizona (see photo Tucson Mt. Park, AZ, terrain). The early summer sun already had the temperature somewhere in the high 90s, and I was dehydrated and extremely tired after having ingested a full bottle of Ibuprofen and thre full 40 oz. bottles of cheap, high octane beer. I had about $13 in my pocket, and I had to make a choice of whether or not to walk back down into the city and re-up on my supplies in order to give it one last go (knowing for the first time that I should definitely should have purchased and used Tylenol PM, rather than trying to get a good deal by purchasing Ibuprofen, which had been on sale the previous day...Idiot!), or to go about looking into other options given my very limited circumstances. I had left all of my belongings behind (but for one large backpack of clothing that was stolen from me approximately 36 hours before by two guys at a bus stop), and beyond the dust in my nostrils and hair, I only the clothing on my back, in essence. 

Picture of the Buffet way back when     As I walked out of the cactus and brush filled desert hills, I was sick with dehydration and general weariness caused by the effect(s) of overdose; and it occurred to me that were I to re-up on my basic supplies, wiht the idea of another attempt in mind, I would have to turn right around and hoof it back up into the mountains, with the attendant realization to I simply wasn't up to it. So I pondered that option, and as I did, my thoughts were drawn to a conversation I had with a man in a bar, perhaps 6 weeks prior. It was, at the time, my favorite bar (see photo The Buffet Bar, 9th St., Tucson, AZ, circa 1934), and this man- a stranger- was at least 15 years older than I, an obvious long time alcoholic who had likely been well 'round the mountain and back in his own personal life. Over our beers, I informed the man that I was contemplating suicide, a statement I WAS willing to make because I sensed that he and I shared the same open-mindedness in terms of matters relating to life and death, a maturity of sorts that comes with the disease known as chronic alcoholism. And as expected, my drinking partner that day barely flinched when I told him this; after a moment of basic silence, he did ask, however, if I had ever sought professional help, in any capacity. 
     And while I had done that, in a fashion, on at least 3 occasions in my recent history, I realized while pondering my options in early May, 2012, that I had never sought such help in anything resembling sincere desire; instead, I had taken myself to hospital ERs while drunkenly awash in suicidal ideation, and therein admitted to staff that I was thinking these things; but each time, as soon as I sobered up, I decided I did need to be there. At which point I would leave, and before long fall back into my willful desire to die. Walking down form the hills that day, it occurred to me that perhaps I should heed that good man's most basic feedback, and at least try to do so in reasonably good fashion. Once I entered that process in good faith on my own part, and maintained my openness to the best of my ability with my Tucson area caregivers, I came to learn that I was needful and deserving of far more than I had ever comprehended, and made the decision to stick it out; knowing that I could, at virtually anytime, request to be discharged, and go back to my original intentions. And that was the beginning of 21 full months of hospitalization.
The reasonable treatment and related moral support offered me in those Tucson area mental heath facilities afforded me the associated willingness to trust my doctors, and as he possibility of referral and admission to the Arizona State Hospital became a reality, I made the very difficult decision to cooperate to the best of my ability. But I had no idea of what I was getting into.     


SUBSTANDARD MEDICAL-MENTAL HEALTH CARE AS A MATTER OF STANDARD PRACTICE
AND THEY ARE GETTING AWAY WITH IT.

     For I learned within a very short time following my admission to ASH, that patients there are routinely abused as a matter of standard practice, and it wasn't long before the abuse fell directly upon me. My story is one which I hope will expose the atrocious wrongdoing that occurs at ASH in a meaningful way, and I intend to share all aspects of my own experiences, including details relating to an ongoing legal process of investigation brought about by my efforts while still at ASH to establish meaningful oversight and accountability specific not only to abuse that I suffered, but also in terms of the Hospital's willingness to carry on its daily operations in direct defiance of common codes of decency and medical ethics.  ch, ASH is a public (health care) entity under federal and state law, and is subject to the principles and provisions of The Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), The Hospital Information Portability and Protection Act (HIPPA), along with numerous other well established codes of standard and practice. I mention these specific legal standards because as a patient, client, and human being, I fully expected nothing more or less than reasonable medical care when I came to accept the idea that ASH was the place for me to be as a person affected by a serious mental illness, needing as I did then, formal in-patient care and treatment consistent with what mental health care facilities are obligated to offer as per well established codes of practice and administrative operation.

A bit more history. 

     As stated already, immediately after that May, 2010 suicide attempt, I spent close to 8 months of treatment at several well operated short term facilities in Tucson; at which time I was then referred to Arizona's sole long term public mental hospital, The Arizona State Hospital. This reference was negotiated via a cooperative civil commitment that I agreed to after long and thoughtful conferencing on the matter with the good doctors at the University of Arizona Medical Center South Campus (formerly Kino-UPH Hospital). It need be said that those first eight months of treatment in Tucson area facilities was not always pleasant, nor free of shortfalls specific to issues that relate to my feelings about The Arizona State Hospital. But this is to be expected, in certain terms, for no residential mental health facility is entirely free of conflict, including in terms of staff behavior and possible misconduct. But I also attest to the fact that at ASH, I encountered conditions so dismally below par in terms of my well learned understand of established health care standards, that there is no comparison, in fact. Going from the the Tucson area hospitals to Arizona's sole long term public mental hospital (ASH, in Phoenix) was very akin leaving the contemporary society that I had lived in for the prior 49 years of my life, and entering a realm inhabited by authorities who exhibit little to no understanding of health care ethics, state/federal law and policy, or commonly recognized civility. 
     At the time of my admission to ASH, I was experiencing chronic and ongoing suicidal ideation(s) in direct association with my primary diagnosis of major depression, and as stated above, it was only through a process of mutual trust and good faith planning that any member of my Tucson treatment planning team (including myself) came to consider sending me to ASH with my mental health care needs in mind. I approached the whole concept with an understandable air of trepidation and concern over the conditions at ASH, simply because it is a full blown insane asylum, and I had personally never undergone any sort of planned long term treatment in such a setting (my first meeting of any kind with a psychiatrist occurred in spring, 2010). None of us imagined the sorts of things that I would come to experience at ASH, and I owe my care givers in Tucson nothing short of absolute appreciation, because it is the covert malfeasance of ASH clinicians and administrators that are of issue in this story, and not the well founded expectations of my Tucson doctors, who reasonably presumed that ASH was up to the task of functioning in a manner consistent with the functions of any modern hospital.   
     Indeed, none of us could have imagined that over a period 13 months I would come to witness and experience systematic and overtly sanctioned abuse that would, in time, lead me to become an inadvertently dedicated advocate for the rights and wellbeing of all persons associated with ASH, from the patients and their families, as well to the many good people who do, in fact, work at ASH. As stated already, patient abuse at the Arizona State hospital has to stop, and something has to be done to bring this about. This is the purpose of my blog, and I invite anybody of like mind to come aboard, for I can certainly use the support. None of the accounts that I intend to report in this blog are of bad faith intent, and all/any data that I include is factual and truthful to the best of my knowledge.

(photo Santa Fe, NM, July, 2013)

paoloreed@gmail.com



Thursday, August 22, 2013


RERUN RE: Complicity between the Phoenix Police Department and administrators at The Arizona State Hospital, wherein fundamental rights specific to equal protection and due process under the law are violated in defiance of the United States Bill of Rights. 

In recent days, a spike in interest in this specific article, which I originally published on May 08, 2012, has compelled me put it right up front again. In the last 48 hours, the original version of the piece has been visited 77 times, while prior to now, I don't know that it's been read even once. Success, as it were, comes to writers in strange ways. 

PHOENIX POLICE: RE: Case #2012-BHS-0263-DHS. Wherein the possibility of police discrimination against patients arises. 

Recap: ON JULY 07, 2011, DESPITE MY IMMEDIATE REQUEST TO BE PUT IN CONTACT WITH PHOENIX POLICE AFTER I HAD BEEN PHYSICALLY ATTACKED AND INJURED BY AN AGGRESSIVE AND ABUSIVE TECHNICIAN AT 8:20 A.M., THE STAFF AT THE ARIZONA STATE HOSPITAL REFUSED TO PROVIDE ME WITH DIRECT PHONE ACCESS IN THE CONTEXT  FOR OVER SEVEN (7) FULL HOURS. AT THAT TIME, AFTER CALLING POLICE AT ABOUT 3:30 P.M., I WAS ESCORTED TO MEET WITH THE RESPONDING PHOENIX POLICE OFFICERS AT 4:20 P.M., AND THE FOUR SECURITY GUARDS WHO TOOK ME TO THE HOSPITAL LOBBY MADE THREATENING COMMENTS ALONG THE LINES OF "IT'S NOT A VERY GOOD IDEA TO FILE COMPLAINTS AGAINST OUR FELLOW STAFF MEMBERS." THE RESPONDING POLICE OFFICERS, MEANWHILE, HAD CLEAR DISPOSITIONS SET AGAINST ME IN TERMS OF THEIR WILLINGNESS TO OBJECTIVELY HEAR MY SIDE OF THE STORY. AFTER ONE OF THEM WENT BY HIMSELF TO REVIEW AT LEAST SOME OF THE AVAILABLE VIDEO FOOTAGE OF THE EVENT, HE RETURNED AND STATED THAT HE NOT HAD SEEN ANYTHING EVEN SLIGHTLY AKIN TO WHAT I HAD CLAIMED, STATING "NOPE, NO APPROACH TO WHERE YOU WERE STANDING, NO RAISED ARMS ON HER PART, NOTHING," AFTER WHICH THE OFFICERS REFUSED TO FORMALLY LODGE A COMPLAINT ON MY BEHALF.     

       As I have described, on July 07, 2011, my original attempt to exercise my right to file a complaint with the Phoenix Police Department concerning my being physically assaulted and battered (injured) by an Arizona State Hospital technician was graphically compromised due to obvious interference in the initial investigative process, whereby ASH staff interacted with the police prior to my being able to speak with them myself. Likewise, well before granting me access to Phoenix police throughout to entire business hours day, my then primary attending psychiatrist, Pervaiz Akhter, came to me and formally declared that he had reviewed the associated video footage, and that in doing so, had seen no indication that the assault had occurred; an act that that I found grossly manipulative and coercive in all senses, as such, was in clear violation of a range of established law, including any person's most fundamental civil rights in the context of equal protection and due process. 
     When I finally, over eight (8) hours after the incident itself, did speak to the police in person, they made clear that ASH security had expressed their opinion that I was untruthful and of bad faith, yet more gravely unlawful abuse of my civil rights; and on this basis, the responding Phoenix police officers were thus unwilling to extend their service to me. Such interference of ASH staff  is a gross violation of the rights of any victim of violent crime in a number of ways, and the responding Phoenix police officers should have known it (or conversely, willfully opted to non-comply with said law). The basic conversation that I had with the responding officers was intimidating, insulting, and and demeaning; and due to this exhibition of graphic misconduct by police as well as ASH staff, I was left in fear for my life, effectively, because the sequence of these events to that point were suggestive of 
the fact that local police were willing to act in complicity with ASH' staffs grossly unlawful misbehavior, no matter how much of a threat that poses to ASH' patients.

       Many months later, I decided to refile a complaint with police, because I had by then learned that the Arizona Department of Health Office of Grievance and Appeals was not going to conduct themselves in accordance with applicable state administrative law in terms of the department's investigation. I consulted with an attorney about the best way to go about this, and below is my first letter to the Maricopa County (Phoenix) Attorney's Office (Arizona has no district attorneys), whereby I both express my concerns about the Hospital's role in my original attempt to file a complaint, as  well as make clear that my right to have a patient advocate present relied upon the police coming to interview during normal, 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m., business hours.     






       I was a bit dismayed when, about two weeks after I had sent the above letter to the county attorney's office, I received the letter shown below from the office of the interim Phoenix Chief of Police, Joseph Yahner, but I was willing to consider the the matter as being cooperative at this point, and I basically waited to hear more about when I would be able to meet with officers during regular, 8:00 a.m. -4:30 p.m., business hours, in the accompaniment of the hospital patient advocate, Sonya Serda. 



       A couple of weeks after receiving the above letter, I was sitting and reading by myself outside on the patient mall at about 5:15 p.m. one afternoon, when a nurse from the Desert Sage East (Cali) unit approached me with the message that a police officer was in the ASH lobby and wanted to talk to me about something. She could not offer any information about why the officer wanted to speak with me, and I was immediately uneasy with the whole scenario, because although I was willing to somewhat presume that the officer wanted to talk to me about refiling my original complaint, I was very concerned with the fact that my basic request that I meet with police during regular business hours so that I could have a patient advocate with me had been ignored, as well as with the fact that I could not even be certain that this why the officer was there to see me, anyway. My experience at ASH had proved to me that unannounced police visits were nothing to take casually, so I advised the nurse that I was uncomfortable with an unscheduled meeting, although I did ask her to please find out why she could. I went ahead and continued reading, and told her to give me any updates, presuming there were any. She never returned, however, and later in the evening, after I was inside the Desert Sage East unit for the night, she advised me that security staff had been unwilling to divulge why the officer wanted to meet with me.  
        Based on this event, I went ahead and drafted and sent a second letter to the county attorney's office on January 09, 2012, wherein I reiterated my express desire to refile a complaint with the assistance of his office, and I again brought up the topic of requesting that the interview with police occur sometime during regular business hours.   (SEE BELOW).     





      I then received my first actual response from the office of the county attorney, dated January 17, 2012, and it was included with a copy of another letter that had been mailed to office of the interim Phoenix police chief, Joseph Yahner, at an earlier date. (SEE BOTH OF THESE BELOW).



       I then waited again, hoping to hear something specific to when I should meet with police. I did go ahead and attempt to communicate with the police by phone on at least one occasion, but the officer I spoke with, Sgt. Taylor (of the office of the police chief) characterized my attitude about meeting with police at a time of the day when I could exercise my lawful right to accompanied by the patent advocate as "uncooperative." I was left with so little faith in the situation at that point, that I finally sent one last letter, conveying my feelings about the whole situation at that point in time, shortly before my eventual discharge in late February, to the interim police chief himself. (SEE BELOW).









       Ultimately, I never heard anything more from either the Phoenix police, nor the county attorney's office in regards to this matter. For what it is worth, there was a formal rehiring of a new Phoenix police chief in early March, and interim police chief Yahner's application for the regular position was rejected in favor of another man, who's name I have, and who I do intend to be in contact with soon, for I will be refiling my original complaint at some point. At this time, with the formal administrative state hearing that is to convened on May 17 in relation to this matter in basic disarray, I may be going ahead and contacting the new Phoenix police chief in the next 5-7 days, depending on what comes up in the next day or two. 

IN CLOSING: It is always interesting to learn how distorted the state system is, but it is equally disheartening, for as I have stated on countless occasions, these matters are standard for the course, and the conditions at the Arizona State Hospital are substandard and harmful to those folks still there. My absence from ASH can only mean that things are possibly worse than they were, because by the time I left, I was so actively engaged in addressing wrongdoing there that honestly believe staff were somewhat on their toes. This may be my ego, or imagination, who knows. In any case, all of these things need to be addressed by each and every citizen of this state and nation who agrees with my disconcert over the issues as they stand. So, please, get involved today. 

paoloreed@gmail.com






Wednesday, August 21, 2013

"My prayers go out to Arizona. You guys are in need of help." (see "aftermath 6-26-12" below)

Inertia and Effect. Herein, Positive Change in the Works Personified.

Approximately 15 months ago, I began reaching out to staff at The Arizona State Hospital via a website that I can only believe Cory Nelson himself created at some point not long after he took over the position as supervisor at ASH, in August 2012. The website address itself is:

www.crazycorycorner.weebly.com

.. and appears online as displayed below. My intent at the time was to establish an open dialogue that could serve to break through the highly illegal devices by which the administrators and senior clinicians at ASH shroud the rampant presence of patient abuse and related clinical ineptitude. Said devices include direct retaliation and a range of other like methods against anybody at ASH- including ASH patients such as myself, circa 2011, as well as any staff willing to speak out in defiance of their employers abuse of power, and so on; highly illegal methods- as per the dictate of state and federal employment law, the Americans With Disabilities Act, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights- that anyone with half an awareness of how corruption and abuse of power generally manifests can easily recognize.

(NOTE: the below image and passage are what the www.crazycorycorner.weebly.com website offers in its introduction- I did create any of this material.)
the CRAZY CORY CORNER!

Picture

IS CORY NELSON REALLY A C.E.O.?
The guy running the hospital - does he know 
know what he's doing?  people geting whacked right 'n' left, patients having wild sex all over the hospital, massive overtime... and a brand new hospital sitting empty. 
(NOTE: The above image and passage ["IS CORY NELSON REALLY A CEO?"] are the introductory material included in the www.crazycorycorner.weebly.com website itself. I did not create it, and so on. As stated, I am not sure who did create this site in fact, but when it first appeared online in 2012, I was under the distinct impression that Nelson himself created it as amusement source for friends and family; and to this day, I still have no reason to believe otherwise.)

That said, over a period of 8-12 months, a range of staff members at ASH, as well as individuals who worked under Cory Nelson's authority during his period as a mid level administrator in South Dakota's behavioral health care system, came together and posted the following assortment of concerns about how in the hell a loser like Cory Nelson could so easily get away with acquiring high level employment in Arizona, when his established record- both in South Dakota as well as since his employment in AZ began- so clearly illustrates nothing short of ineptitude, willful deception, and outright immorality. This is a question that I have been pondering ever since I first interacted with the man, almost immediately after he began working at ASH; at which point, he exhibited precisely the sort of bottom feeding character that his staff have been challenged by.

As stated, the following 13 postings are personal comments submitted by current and past ASH staff, one ASH patient, and individuals who worked with Cory Nelson in South Dakota, circa 2001-2010. I have denoted the relationships of these commentators in the context of their interactions with Nelson, from current and past ASH staff, to individuals in South Dakota who learned the hard way that Nelson cannot be trusted when he was running things up there. I feel confident that anyone willing to consider the concerns presented in these postings will agree with the basic fact that: 

Cory Nelson is not qualified to be granted the trust of Arizona's citizens, be they the patients at ASH, ASH staff, of the public in general.

But I will let you decide. As you read the following commentary, try not to wince, throw up, or otherwise lose control of yourself, for indeed- things at ASH are really that bad.

As follows. #1-13. Cory Nelson the man- he and his skin of reptile, fleshed out.

1) - (current ASH staff- Behavioral health technician, who work most closely with patients at any given point in time, 24/7.)

anonymous 5/13/12 2?36 p.m.
    techs are being told that they "have to" work overtime or change shifts whenever. Doesn't seem to matter if they have kids or other jobs to pay bills. If they get sick and call off managers are asking for notes from the doctor different than what policy is. Techs are scared to say anything because they need there jobs. Just because things are rough out there doesn't mean cory nelson should be taking advantage of people. Bullies create bullies remember that.
2) - (Yankton, South Dakota based former employee) 

yankton 06/22/2012 4:00pm 
    you should contact a few employees from his previous employer I am sure you would hear a lot.

3) - (Yankton, South Dakota based former employee) 

Aftermath 06/26/2012 11:46pm 
    We are still dealing with the damage he caused in Yankton. He proved he could reduce restraint use by removing them, not giving any care for the increased injury to staff. His gestapo regime is still terrorizing staff. Our only saving grace is that his replacement has been hired and he will hopefully clean house and make our hospital safe again. My prayers go out to Arizona. You guys are in need of help.
4) - (current ASH staff)

Red Rider 02/10/2013 5:39pm
    Cory brought over from South Dakota his butt buddy Don Whitmire who is an arrogant looking rat. Now they have created a position for him downtown. It practically takes an act of congress to hire unit staff. It is corrupt here. Bad. 
5) - (current ASH staff- Behavioral health technician, who work most closely with patients at any given point in time, 24/7.)

Injured 07/06/2012 7:07am
     now if you get hit you cant get help, staff assisting someone on the ground get attacked now to becuz there isn't enuf staff around. Its gotten very scary. 

6) - (current ASH staff- Behavioral health technician, who work most closely with patients at any given point in time, 24/7.)

ME 07/07/2012 8:08pm
    Since when is it ok to be forced to work 24 hours? Working as a temp employee, filling in for the regular staff, which only increases the dangerous situations for other staff members and residents. Wonder why there is an increase in aggressive behavior by staff towards residents. Stems from lack of sleep and increased fear for their jobs. Police reports not only for aggressive behavior by residents against residents it includes staff towards residents where things get turned around on residents to make it ok for staff to create unsafe environments…. Residents attacking other residents more than 7 times, which get reported to administration, and nothing happens to keep the residents and the staff safe. When residents defend themselves, since no previous action to keep safe by administration, the resident then face jail and or prison time. This is suppose to be a safe environment for residents and especially for staff, unfortunately for the forced overtime and poor work ethics of the administration it is far from safe.
7) - (former ASH staff who left their position out of fear for safety- Behavioral health technician, who work most closely with patients at any given point in time, 24/7.)

2 FRIGHTENED 07/12/2012 8:12pm
    I FINALLY HAD TO QUIT. MY REG UNIT WAS GOOD BUT THEY KEPT FLOATING ME OVER TO THE BAD CIVIL UNIT. I AND OTHERS KEPT GETTING ATTACKED IT'S LIKE OPEN SEASON ON TECHS THERE NOW AND THEY DO NOTHING. TOO MUCH FLASHBACKS AND TERROR FOR ME TO STAY. SORRY TO ABANDON YOU -THE FRIENDS THAT I LEFT. THERE ISN'T ENOUGH STAFF AND NO MORE SECURITY GUARDS TO HELP.

8)- (former ASH staff )
Former security officer 08/06/2012 1:42am
    Since I left I have heard stories of more assaults. I got out at the right time, and am doing well in my new career. I still keep in touch with many of my old coworkers, and consider many of them to be good friends. Until the good old boys network is broken up there, I'm afraid nothing will ever change.
9)- (a former ASH staff who left their position out of fear for safety- Behavioral health technician, who work most closely with patients at any given point in time, 24/7.)

2 FRIGHTENED 2 SAY 08/18/2012 6:05am
    ASH CLAIMING ON THE NEWS (CHANNEL 3) THAT ASSAULTS HAVE GONE DOWN. LIARS!! WORSE THAN EVER! WHY DOESN'T JACO OR MEDICARE LOOK AT EMPLOYEE TURNOVER RATE?
10) - (current ASH staff- Behavioral health technician, who work most closely with patients at any given point in time, 24/7.)

ME 08/21/2012 9:02am
    Of course ASH administration will do everything to cover their asses. Very disappointed in the extreme lack of investigative reporting done on behalf of ASH employees and patients alike. If chanel 3 did even half of their job in reporting they wouldn't have reported the extreme amount of mistruths given by Cory Nelson. Obviously the news doesn't know about this website someone should point the reporter in the right direction and show the error of the story reported on the news.

11) - (current ASH staff)
DK
01/12/2013 6:20pm
Why was abc news here this week? They talked to Cory Nelson but of course can't talk to employees. We'd be fired if we told them the truth. Cory and the overpaid over-abundant hospital administration would stop at nearly nothing to find out who talked to them. I'm sure Cory told them how safe it is and how wonderful things are running. Not that staff are being used as punching bags DAILY!! How much money is being spent on workman's comp for injuries and staff leave time? How much money for staff turnover? How much money for vulnerable patients staying longer because they can't get better in an environment they feel terrified too?

12) - (current ASH staff)
Red Rider 02/10/2013 5:34pm
     Over at the ACPTC they have a surveillance unit. Their manager's husband use to work for MCSO and got hurt. He was given a big pension, however, he cannot work. But he runs a six figure a year landscaping business under her name.they hire illegals. People over there tell me she brags about it all of the time.

That pretty well sums up the atmosphere that Cory Nelson has created, both in his prior position in South Dakota, as well as at The Arizona State Hospital, at this point in time. And here in Arizona, the rat bastard has done so with the full support of Arizona Department of Health Services director Will Humble, a shared complicity that has only deteriorated the conditions at ASH in less than two full years since Nelson's August, 2011 hiring; he has in fact been awarded by Humble in the form of a major promotion.

Yeah, that's right! In his infinite lack of scuples and integrity, ADHS director Will Humble has promoted Cory "crazycorycorner.weebly.com" Nelson into the highest ranking position in Arizona's behavioral health care system. Business as usual. 

SUBSTANDARD MEDICAL-MENTAL HEALTH CAREA AND PRACTICE AT EVERY IAGNIABLE LEVEL, AND THEY ARE GETTING AWAY WITH IT.
I HAVE SAID IT BEFORE AND I WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO. THERE ARE GOOD PEOPLE WORKING AT ASH, SOME OF WHOM I AM ON GOOD TERMS WITH TODAY IN MY WORK. 

BUT VIA MY EXPERIENCES DURING 13 FULL MONTHS OF HOSPITALIZATION AT ASH, THE "GOOD PEOPLE" ARE THE MINORITY. THESE SORTS OF STAFF ARE SOMEWHAT IN THE SAME BOAT AS ASH PATIENTS, SUBJECT TO NOTHING SHORT OF UTTER SUBJUGATION BY WHICH THE ONE'S IN POWER MAINTAIN HIGHLY ILLEGAL DEVICES DESIGNED TO TERRORIZE ASH STAFF AND PATIENTS ALIKE. AND ONLY THEY- THE GOOD STAFF- KNOW HOW DISPROPORTIONATE THE POWER IS AT ASH, WHEREIN THE ONES WHO ARE WILLING TO ENGAGE IN DEFYING THE APPLICABLE STANDARDS ARE GRANTED PROMOTIONS- JUST AS CORY NELSON HAS BEEN. 

I ATTEST TO THIS CONDITION, AND I HAVE FAR MORE  THEN ENOUGH EVIDENCE TO PROVE IT. AS SUCH, THESE LATTER ASH STAFF- BE IT NELSON HIMSELF OR THE MAJORITY RAT BASTARD SENIOR NURSING STAFF AND 3RD WORLD TRAINED PSYCHIATRIC STAFF, AND SO ON- HAVE ACCRUED UNDENIABLE SENIORITY AT ASH, AND THEY UNLAWFULLY WIELD THAT AUTHORITY OVER ANYBODY WILLING TO SPEAK OUT AGAINST WRONGDOING, BE IT PATIENTS SUCH AS MYSELF, OR STAFF UNABLE TO ABIDE BY SUCH WRONGDOING. IT IS SURREAL TO EXPERIENCE, AS THOUGH THE INNER WORKINGS OF ASH ARE BASED IN THE 3RD WORLD. BUT THE ARIZONA STATE HOSPITAL IS IN AMERICA. AND IN AMERICA, THERE ARE WELL ESTABLISHED LAW AND POLICY IN EFFECT THAT CAN AND WILL LEAD TO OVERSIGHT AND DIRECT ACCOUNTABILITY. LIKELY IN THE NEXT 4-6 MONTHS, AT MOST. BE AFRAID DINGLE, AKHTER, PATEL, RUDD, RAMOS-ROJAS, NORIEGA, NELSON, MORRIS, LYDON, AND ALL THE REST….  

YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE, AND SO DO I.  

13) - (former ASH patient- "Hey, you bastards! I'm still here!")

PJ Reed 07/12/2013 11:57am
     STAFF: Keep up the good work, and do not give up advocating on your own behalf with the hope of seeing that Cory Nelson, Donna Noriega, Joel Rudd (AZ Attorney General's office- the most powerful law firm in the state defends ASH admn. anytime reports specific to these matters arise- he is very dangerous to all of us!), and each and every other person in power at ASH and throughout ADHS/BHS are held fully accountable for their clear wrongdoing. It is very big challenge, for this is all very close to the top of the food chain in AZ, but trust me when I say that these people are not nearly so out of reach as I know it appears to you, and their time is coming. I attest to this from the heart, for I'm directly involved in seeing that this goes down, and as a former ASH patient, I refuse to give up in my own right. But please do not forget that when it comes to these issues, the ultimate victims are ASH's seriously mentally ill clientele, for they are the ones at the absolute bottom of said food chain. In this sense, we are all in this together. Peace and Frogs to all of you.

paoloreed@gmail.com

Thursday, August 15, 2013

Again: Inertia and Effect. Herein, Positive Change in the Works Personified.

I rarely get direct responses from actual staff at The Arizona State Hospital, but when I do, it is more often that not positive. The "good people" at ASH have the character to speak to me (on occasion), while the Rat Bastards there are cowards at best, who will go to their graves knowing how despicable they are, in fact. For as I have stated and will continue to state, there are indeed a number of "good people" working at ASH, and if not for them- the minority- someone like I would likely have nothing but overwhelmingly negative memories and related impressions from the accursed place. So it is a genuine pleasure to learn how the change of tide is occurring.   

That said, I somewhat anonymously received the following communication earlier this week from a "Former Security Guard", as follows:

Kudos to ABC15 for running this story. I got out of that place in Dec 2011.... which ended up being perfect timing, as things spiraled downward from there. I feel bad for those that have to continue to work there, as many good men and women do. Keep up the good work exposing the wrongdoings there. Public agencies need to be held accountable to the public and taxpayers of this state. You still doing your jogging? 


-----------------------------------------------------
AND TO YOU, GOOD SOUL: THANK YOU, THANK YOU, AND THANK YOU AGAIN, WHOEVER YOU ARE. YOU KNOW AS WELL AS I HOW CRITICAL THE PRESENCE OF INDIVIDUALS WILLING TO SPEAK OUT IS, IN TERMS OF THE BLATANT SECRECY THAT ASH ADMINISTRATORS & DOCTORS RELY UPON AS THEY ENGAGE IN THEIR WRONGDOING AT THIS TIME. AND KUDOS TO YOU FOR DIRECTING YOUR PERSONAL SENSE OF CHARACTER OUT AND AWAY FROM THE RAT HOLE KNOWN AS ASH, AND IDEALLY INTO SOMETHING THAT I HIGHLY SUSPECT WILL BETTER MEET YOUR DESERVED REWARDS, SPECIFIC TO YOUR GIVEN SKILLS. 

ON A RELATED NOTE: I DO NOT JOG- I RUN! HA! AND YES, IT IS ONGOING. I AM BACK TO RIDING BICYCLES, TOO, ON A NEARLY FULL TIME BASIS, HERE IN MY HOME TOWN, AMONGST GOOD OLD FRIENDS. 
IT'S PRETTY GREAT, EVEN PROFOUND, AFTER AN EXPERIENCE SUCH AS ASH. I HAVE PARTICIPATED IN A HANDFUL OF BOTH RUNNING AS WELL AS CYCLING EVENTS SINCE MY DISCHARGE FROM ASH IN FEB., 2012. THESE ACTIVITIES ARE CENTRAL TO MY RECOVERY FROM ASH, AND MY MENTAL-EMOTIONAL HEALTH IN GENERAL, JUST AS MY RUNNING AT ASH GRANTED ME DIRECT MEANS BY WHICH TO FOSTER MY DEEPEST SENSE OF IDENTITY AND CHARACTER, IN DEFIANCE OF MY VARIOUS PRIMARY CARE PSYCHIATRISTS' ATTEMPTS TO ALIENATE ME FROM MYSELF. I HAD FOUR SUCH "DOCTORS" AT ASH IN 13 MONTHS- SO MUCH FOR CONTINUITY OF CARE! ON ONE OCCASION, WHEN THE TOPIC CAME UP IN ONE OF I.T.D.P. SESSIONS, I LOOKED DR. PERVAIZ AKHTER IN THE EYE AND TOLD HIM "I RUN TO GET AWAY FROM THE LIKES OF YOU, TO ESCAPE YOU AND YOUR KIND. I HAVE NEVER HAD TO RUN LIKE THIS BEFORE…". THAT SAID, "FORMER SECURITY GUARD"  PERSON (NOT OTHERWISE SPECIFIED), I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR INQUIRY, AND WHILE I WOULD LOVE TO GUESS/SUSPECT WHICH ONE OF THE GOOD SECURITY STAFF I KNEW THERE AT ASH, I AM COMFORTABLE KNOWING THAT YOU AND I HAVE A POSITIVE RELATIONSHIP WHICH DUE TO CIRCUMSTANCES MUST REMAIN INFORMAL AND ANONYMOUS. I WISH YOU WELL, FRIEND. 

ALSO: I KNEW THAT THAT ONE GUARD, ROGER JAMES FORNEY, WAS A BAD APPLE FROM THE GET GO. A FREAKING SCUMBAG-PERVERT PEDOPHILE, NO LESS, SHIRKING THE INTEGRITY OF YOUR PROFESSION WHEN HE WAS ON THE CLOCK THERE, IN CAHOOTS WITH AT LEAST ONE OTHER ASSHOLE WHO WILL REMAIN UNNAMED AT THIS POINT IN TIME. I IDENTIFIED FORNEY AS A SNAKE AT THE TIME, AND NOW HE IS IN PRISON, WHERE HE BELONGS. I RECOGNIZED HIM AS I DID ANY NUMBER OF DOCTORS AND ADMINISTRATORS AT ASH FOR WHO THEY ARE, INDIVIDUALS WHO SHARE HIS CHARACTER, AND WHO DESERVE MUCH THE SAME CONSEQUENCES AS HE. 

paoloreed@gmail.com