As this following documentary evidence proves, I became aware of the fact that major staff cuts, including in terms of security and clinical staff, not long before my February, 2012, discharge from ASH. The below data is a partial (page 2) aspect of a thorough report sent (by me) to the regional manager of the United States Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights, Mr. Michael Kruley, in December, 2011. At that point in time, US DHHS was initiating an investigation into the fact that ASH psychiatrists unlawfully deny ASH patients access to their own personal medical records, which is in gross violation of the provisions of The Hospital Information Portability and Protection Act (Public Law 104-191, Aug. 21, 1996). These so called ASH medical doctors commonly cite the fact that psychiatric patients may be threatened by seeing their own records, but in doing so, I can attest to the fact they exploit the relative naiveté of their patients in that specific context. As with my second ASH psychiatrist, Dr. Pervaiz Akhter , who did in fact deny me such access not on the basis of my safety, but rather because he did not want me to be "nitpicking" about very troubling issues- e.g. patient abuse- that I knew were going on at ASH on a daily basis. I provided US DHHS (Kruley) with data about this issue in that December, 2011, and also alerted him about the equally worrisome fact that all ASH patients were increasingly being subjected to heightened threats to their safety, this as a consequence of staff layoffs and related shortages that were implemented by Cory Nelson. And as illustrated in the November 20, 2013, Associated Press article about the very real possibility that ASH is going to lose federal funding on the basis that these safety issues are occurring in violation of patient rights, my earliest concerns were 100% valid.
Again, the following bit of data provided to Mr. Kruley is only one piece of a far broader body of evidence that I provided DHHS with at that time. I am offering here in order to clarify my fundamental knowledge base, as it stood then, and has increasingly evolved since my Feb. 2012 discharge from ASH.
Page 2
P-------------
December, 2011
TO: M. Kruley
At this time, and apparently due to recent state budget cuts, AzSH is been operating on a clearly shorthanded (staff) basis. The unit that I am on, for example (Desert Sage east), has repeatedly been understaffed over the last 2-4 weeks, if not longer; behavioral health technician staff,e.g., has been so limited in recent weeks that even the employees are outspoken about the burden it places on them in terms of their own safety and their basic ability to effectively perform their assigned job(s); and the fallout effect has led to an increasing amount of uncontrolled outbursts involving violence and compromises in patient safety. I understand, as well, that the Hospital recently laid off 30 security guards, and while my source concerning this info. is reasonably sound (I in fact have discussed with several staff, including one security guard), I as a patient am not privy to this info. in an official capacity. But I can attest to the fact that several patient restrictions have been implemented in recent days that basically belie this fact.
In closing, RE: my numerous attachments. Please note that have tried to separate and categorize the documents as follows:
FOUR ISSUES (1-4)
EACH ISSUE HAS X AMOUNT OF EXHIBITS (LETTERED)
Page 2
P-------------
December, 2011
TO: M. Kruley
At this time, and apparently due to recent state budget cuts, AzSH is been operating on a clearly shorthanded (staff) basis. The unit that I am on, for example (Desert Sage east), has repeatedly been understaffed over the last 2-4 weeks, if not longer; behavioral health technician staff,e.g., has been so limited in recent weeks that even the employees are outspoken about the burden it places on them in terms of their own safety and their basic ability to effectively perform their assigned job(s); and the fallout effect has led to an increasing amount of uncontrolled outbursts involving violence and compromises in patient safety. I understand, as well, that the Hospital recently laid off 30 security guards, and while my source concerning this info. is reasonably sound (I in fact have discussed with several staff, including one security guard), I as a patient am not privy to this info. in an official capacity. But I can attest to the fact that several patient restrictions have been implemented in recent days that basically belie this fact.
In closing, RE: my numerous attachments. Please note that have tried to separate and categorize the documents as follows:
FOUR ISSUES (1-4)
EACH ISSUE HAS X AMOUNT OF EXHIBITS (LETTERED)
I am certain that you will not find it entirely easy wade your way through these materials. I apologize for the bulk of it, and for the numerous typos.
Thank you. Sincerely, P--------------
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IN CLOSING: I will keep it short and sweet… Well maybe not so sweet…
SUBSTANDARD MEDICAL-MENTAL HEALTH CARE PRACTICES AND THEY ARE GETTING AWAY WITH IT LOCK-STOCK-AND BARREL.
paoloreed@gmail.com
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I would really love input of any kind from anybody with any interest whatsoever in the issues that I am sharing in this blog. I mean it, anybody, for I will be the first one to admit that I may be inaccurately depicting certain aspects of the conditions
at ASH, and anonymous comments are fine. In any case, I am more than willing to value anybody's feelings about my writing, and I assure you that I will not intentionally exploit or otherwise abuse your right to express yourself as you deem fit. This topic is far, far too important for anything less. Thank you, whoever you are. Peace and Frogs.