Prose: Of Friends In Hell The kindest were the patients, the honesty was founded in the needy, the integrity rested in the eyes of the wounded, and the truth relied upon the presence of evil.

Pervaiz Akhter
Primary ASH psychiatrist
1996-2016

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As always, friends emerge in the strangest of places. This piece is dedicated to Philip, Ruth, Tim, Kenny, Ruby F., Devon, Janice, Josh V., Josh two, William, Jasmine, Joe G., Tyrone, Theo, Clyde, Kris, Melissa A., Edward, Virginia, Lucy, Ken M., Noreen, Iris, Brian one, Brian two, Rodney A., James M., Andy B., Thomas B., Elaine, Thomas two, Talina, Carl, Donny P., William, Michele, Brian, Francesca, the late Chris Blackman*, David A., Constance, Jesus Rincon Murietta**, Wendy, George one, Vince, Mark, Roberts one-three, Steve one, Abigail, David H., Randy, Natalie, Larry, Amber L., Alex, Rich, Janice, Chris T., Jerry, Mr. Director, George two, Steve two, Tim, the late Franky-Mary Adams*, Pete, Edmond L., Larry, Roger B., Cathy, Rich, Mike.... People who touched me so strongly, as being angels somewhat hidden in the closet of their respective mental complications; each of whom, via the influence of stabilizing medications or whatever else was keeping them stable (at times, sometimes oft', sometimes not) within the realm of The Arizona State Hospital, set themselves as far higher beings than the evil mongers who have been granted by their relatively superficial professional qualifications- vs. ethical character- the absolute privilege to impose themselves on the needs of our loved ones. For that's what it is, you know, nothing short of privilege to be allowed by family or morally balanced citizens or state policy or the very air of our planet to share the thoughts and hearts of Arizona's most at risk adults. 

*ABOVE: Both of these individuals died avoidable deaths under very questionable circumstances while hospitalized at ASH. Begging the question: How many more? Before, or to come?
** ABOVE: This young man is now in prison, in relation to the murder of an innocent young woman, due to the criminal ineptitude of ASH administrators. One more bright line illustration of the issues at stake, even today, July 02, 2016, in Arizona's sole long term public mental health facility.



Beth.

The little girl reached for the stick
tangled in the bird's nest
but it struck her instead
and she died of a snake bite:
a copperhead going for the eggs.

                  (from"orchard"  pjreed 1989)

early morning sailors/we came together

they came by day after day
often announced
my welcome was taken for granted
(by me) so I always made my way
into their respective houses
as though we had been there for time
eternal is the strength of pain
and happiness is the price of love
which came to me there
in the strangest of places

but in truth, no farther from home
then the lakes down our hill-
birchwood, mountain, crystal-
any one of the three defining
the trail where we met,
leading to the orchard of my heart.
                                                                                        
                                              (self pjreed 2012)

notes:
   -beth 1993 photo oriole b


paoloreed@gmail.com

Center of Psychiatric Excellence? And the release of the current director of ADHS' new official tag, as per her Tremendous Pride. 

Pervaiz Akhter. Punjab, Pakistan.
Primary attending psychiatrist
Arizona State Hospital
1997-2015

INTRODUCTION 

Roughly one month ago, the Phoenix area ABC news affiliate, KVNX/Ch15, confirmed my 2012-2015 reporting of the presence of staff smuggled contraband onto the grounds of Arizona's sole long term public mental health care facility, the Arizona State Hospital, in a prime time news report aired to millions of Arizona citizens (see  "AZ State Hospital dealing with dozens of recent contraband incidents." By David Biscobing, ABC News Ch15, May 5, 2016.). And less then 3 days ago, ADHS Director Cara Christ chose to characterize ASH as a "Center of Psychiatric Excellence." As though the news reported by ABC Ch15 has no merit. Blatantly engaging in the same flow of inaccurate information about the issues that are even today causing abject medical practices at ASH that her predessesor engaged in. 

A standard program of denial. As a matter of standard practice. 

Etc.

------------------------------------

DISCUSSION Part I

I was, in fact, the first source to report the issue of contraband at ASH, when I did so in spring, 2011, by submitting a formal document describing the matter to officials with the AZ Department of Health Services, during the earliest phase of my time as an ASH patient. I have likewise published at least four primary blog articles about the issue, the first in April, 2012, which have and continue to be a focal point of (reader) attention to the blog. 

Did my efforts in the context have any impact? No. 100% consistent with the bare bones fact that all elements of my good faith reporting have also been patently ignored. By the ones running Arizona's overall public health care system. Leading, in no uncertain terms, to ongoing abuse of the rights and associated care needs of ASH' disabled patients. 

It's that simple. It's that bad. 

It is- ergo- no surprise at all to learn in this most recent ABC report that  the issue of staff smuggled contraband has yet to  be resolved, for over the entirety of my five years of experience in seeking to see that overall problems at ASH are addressed once and for all, I have had next to zero success in the context. Yes, the newest state officials overseeing ADHS/BHS took action in spring 2015 to hold several former facility  administrators accountable (seven people in total were terminated) for their undeniable involvement in the long standing corruption at ASH; I contend, however, that this action amounts to little else then a band aid approach to massive hemorrhaging of the ADHS/BHS system across the board, and that those persons who lost their jobs with ADHS represent little more then scapegoats, in effect. The fact is, none of the ones fired for their unlawful activities in this context were ever criminally charged or otherwise held legally accountable for their known misconduct, despite some proportion of their wrongdoing being criminal in nature, under state and federal law; which I feel diminishes the likelihood of deterrence with these issues in mind,  paradoxically preserving the ongoing existence of administrative ineptitude and the associated suffering of ASH patients.

On a brief aside, I am compelled to mention that beyond my formal education level and achieved credentials, (BA 1996, University of New Mexico, Phi Beta Kappa, Magna Cum Laude; MA 1999, University of Arizona), I also attended the James A. Rogers College of Law, University of Arizona, 2001-2004, on a full ride scholarship that afforded me on the basis of my life long commitment to public interest advocacy. I am in no way overly proud of my educational achievements; I know first hand that many, many people who have no opportunity to even attend college succeed in facing and overcoming far greater challenges. I only mention this aspect of my personal life in order to clarify the fact that, when the time arose for me to begin embarking on exposing the deplorably substandard care practices and conditions at ASH, I was fairly well prepared via my formal education to meaningfully disclose the full implications of how and why these issues are so rampantly present at ASH, in direct relation to bureaucratic ineptitude throughout the ADHS construct.

I didn't want it. The knowledge base that I have about ASH. I didn't seek to make trouble. I only sought the basic services that this facility is required to provide to each and every citizen of Arizona who in any way finds themselves included in the operation of ASH. 

In this sense, it was the grossly unlawful misbehavior of ASH staff

 that put me in the position that I am today.

And it impossible for me to have to sit back and accept the barebones  fact that these issues are still occurring. As a matter of standard practice. 

It also of note in my memory, to recall that a visiting legal scholar who lectured to my law class in Torts I, fall 2001 (facilitated by Professor Ellyn Bublick), about the specific realm of medical malpractice, mentioned in passing the facility that I wound up in approximately ten years later, by stating: 

"Don't even get me started on the Arizona State Hospital up in Phoenix!"

At the time, I had never heard of ASH, and given that I am not a native of Arizona, I had no idea whatsoever that she was referring to a mental hospital. Indeed, it wasn't until just around five months into my overall time at ASH that I came to remember hearing this attorney make that statement; an arousal in my memory bank that occurred in direct relation to my becoming increasingly dumfounded by the blatant willingness of senior ranking ASH medical and administrative staff to turn a blind and ear towards patient abuse, staff misconduct, and literally every other element of the substandard care practices and conditions there.   

And consistent with every other detail of my knowledge base specific to the abusive conditions at ASH and the demented character of oh so many ASH staff, I will just say it again:

I COULD NOT MAKE THIS SHIT UP IF I HAD TO.

In spring, 2011, in a phone conversation that I had with a mental health advocate based in Berkeley, CA, during my time as a patient/client/consumer seeking mental health services at the Arizona State Hospital, that person- who has sought anonymity, for she is also affected by serious mental illness, and did in fact spend nine months at ASH before my arrival there- expressed the following sentiment: 

"If those people had any idea who you are or what you are capable of, they would have never allowed you in there."  

At the time, I was still hampered by own personal struggles with major depressive disorder and early recovery in the process; as such, I had little understanding of why this good hearted soul felt that way. All I knew was that I- a person witnessing on a daily basis abject abuse of patient rights and related staff misconduct- was sensing the need for someone to stand up and address these issues. I did not, however, sense credence at that early juncture of my overall recovery in believing that I was the best resource in this context. But over the ensuing months, as my head cleared and a renewed interest in my surrounding environment emerged (after years of virtual hibernation), I did in fact come to understand that I could provide meaningful evidence about the deeply substandard care practices at ASH, and the involvement of high ranking ASH staff in furthering these issues as a matter of standard practice. Only days before the above described phone conversation, for example, my then attending ASH psychiatrist, Dr. Laxman Patel, had responded to my reporting staff misconduct that I was incapable of ignoring in my own right because it was causing me distinct trauma by stating in no uncertain terms (verbatim): 

"What do you expect? This is the state hospital."

Therein fostering my motivation to do whatever I had to, in order to set these people straight. As though, as per this so-called physician's opinion, the Arizona State Hospital is justified in continuing to provide substandard mental health care to the American citizens committed to ASH in order to recover their best interests and wellbeing as persons acutely affected by mental illness. Just one more example, I later came to realize, of the fact that a majority proportion of ASH staff don't feel that the seriously mentally ill clientele at ASH deserve the same level of care and treatment as anyone else, in any other health care facility. In later months, I had other staff psychiatrists characterize my sense of duty in this context as "grandiose" and other such skewed disrespect for the simple fact that I was not seeking anything other then to do the right thing to the best of my given ability.

At that time, and in ironic thanks to the imbeciles who sought to call my efforts into question , I realized that:

A) Someone had to do something about it;

B) Nobody employed at ASH or in ADHS'BHS was willing to do anything         about it;

C) And that it thus fell upon my to do whatever I could to expose these       issues to the best of my given ability. In defense of my own                     fundamental rights and care needs, and those of my seriously                  mentally ill and disabled patient-peers.  

I also knew that I would be putting my own health and wellbeing at some degree of risk, but I in no way fathomed- who would?- how dangerous such a mission would be in fact- very real potential harm- while I was still there at ASH, subject as I unknowingly was (at the time, very early in my thirteen long months at ASH) to the equally real menace posed by ASH administrators, and their lower ranking counterparts in ASH's medical staff. 

In late August, 2011, for example, within hours of certain ASH executives coming to realize that I was engaging in shedding light upon the presence of grossly unlawful staff misconduct via the state's own grievance system, I was unlawfully relocated from the ASH treatment unit that my referring Tucson based psychiatrist had worked to see that I would be treated on- Palo Verde east, one of the most peaceful units at ASH at that time- to one of the most violent treatment units of the civil side of ASH, Desert Sage east. This summary transfer occurred in violation of not only state law (the Arizona Administrative Code, specifically), but even the Hospital's own protocol, and had direct involvement of former ASH CEO/Now Fired Cory Nelson and current ASH Chief Medical Officer Dr. Steven Dingle, both of whom issued and signed the formal- though obviously unlawful- transfer letter that I was served with on the day of that relocation. (And I do, of course, have my copy of that document.) 

By then, I had come to refuse to be intimidated by these people, be it highly aggressive staff technicians, psychologically abusive staff nurses, shockingly incompetent staff psychiatrists, and so on into the highest offices of the ASH operation; and especially not by the on-site assistant AZ Attorney General, Joel Rudd, who- in absolute complicity with the now proven unlawfulness of ASH administrators- did in his own right engage in trying to cow me into submission by unjustly seeking to subject me to a involuntary and indefinite commitment to ASH, an action that drew the immediate attention and direct support on my behalf of human rights advocate John Gallagher.

It was, all of it, that bad. For the entirety of my time at ASH. And common sense begs the fact that my experiences were anything but unusual, this with respect for the experiences of every other patient at ASH. I have included the majority of the details in this blog, to date, and will broaden this sordid tale in my upcoming book. But given what we already know about the current operation of ASH, and the role of current ADHS officials such as Dr. Cara Christ in furthering the issues most at stake, these matters have yet to be meaningfully addressed. Ergo, my work on behalf of the ASH patient community is ongoing, because clearly, even ADHS' newest director is willing to engage in concealing the truths about the substandard conditions at ASH. 

And someone has to do something about it. 

------------------------------------------------

DISCUSSION Part II

"Center of Psychiatric Excellence."

This is apparently the Arizona Department of Health's most recent bright idea in terms of spinning the image of the state's sole long term public mental health care facility, Arizona State Hospital (ASH), over which ADHS has direct authority and associated responsibility. This newfangled example of utter bullshit emerged in recent Arizona news, with regard for the Hospital's interest in allowing private interests access and use of the Hospital's "resources". As follows:

"The Department of Health Services says it is soliciting information on possible interest in using the campus (Arizona State Hospital) for various psychiatric services..... (including) for private psychiatric care services... According to the department, it envisions the "Center of Psychiatric Excellence" could use available property and buildings on the campus but wouldn't involve privatizing any of the state's mandated services." 

(see: "Arizona Eyes Public-Private Use Of Phoenix Mental Hospital's Campus." Associated Press. Tuesday, June 07, 2016. )

The Arizona State Hospital (see "campus" above), as  a matter of plain fact, is the site of what some refer to as the ugliest public mental health scandal in the last 75 years. ADHS is most directly at fault for the known shortfalls at ASH, and is- as such- deserving of immediate oversight and accountability by the federal level Department of Health and Human Services and other such superseding authorities, for it is within ADHS' executive offices that the flow of crippling ineptitude begins; the worst impacts of which land squarely on the heads of the ASH patient community. It is, as I have sought to make clear in prior essays and articles, a trickle-down effect of obviously defective agency administration, and it has everything to do with the consequences of the hyper-bureaucratic dysfunction that ADHS relies upon in order to exist. 

Ergo, at the top of the given bureaucratic food chain we find distinguishable articulations of clearly inaccurate information, which primarily serve to maintain status quo and provide shelter to the ineptitude of affiliated administrators; while at the bottom of it all, in the underbelly of the ASH facility, we are aware of identifiable forms of deeply substandard health care and conditions, which deprive ASH patients of fundamental dignity, instead causing them pain, suffering, and despair, which may well lead to suicide and other like examples of instability and de-escalation specific to any patients' given diagnosis.

It is that simple. It is that bad.

"Center of Psychiatric Excellence."

This, in reference to a facility (ASH), that was formally  sanctioned by the federal government at least once in the last two years on the basis of evidence to the effect that operation of said facility was falling below required guidelines. A facility so poorly operated, in fact, that a little over 1 year ago, no less then seven people associated with the substandard conditions at ASH- including but not limited to ASH Chief Executive Officers Cory Nelson and Donna Noriega, as well as an attorney working for ADHS itself, Jeff Bloom- were summarily fired on the basis of evidence proving that Hospital administrators and other like state employed health care officials were involved in a vastly wide range of unlawful misconduct, from the shredding of public documents in order to conceal the substandard conditions at ASH and associated abuse of patient rights, to perjury in terms of sanctioned inquisition seeking truthful testimony by persons required to ensure that ASH was functioning as per law and policy, and other greatly far reaching forms of administrative abuse of power.

These elements of administrative wrongdoing serve to further the grossly inept medical practices at ASH, which are spearheaded by supervisory medical staff- nurse supervisors and  the chief medical officer (Dingle), for example- all of  whom are complicit in allowing for the substandard care and conditions known to pose risk and harm to the ASH patient community in general.

It is that simple. It is that bad.

"Center of Psychiatric Excellence."

This, with regard for a public mental health facility which hires persons known to be sexually deviant (child sexual abuser  Roger Allen Forney) and whose current Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Steven Dingle, was effectively found guilty of sexual abuse in the late 90s, causing distinct harm to his victims. This, with regard for a hospital largely employing psychiatrists native to and educated in third world countries, where human rights, contemporary standards of medical practice, and democracy in itself are literally absent; only one core factor as per my very real experiences as an ASH patient, underlying the fact that each and every ASH psychiatrist- Patel (India). Akhter (Pakistan). Lydon. Dy (Philippines). And even Dingle.- that I directly interacted with circa my thirteen long months at ASH was unable to abide by established medical practice, willing as such to flaunt law and policy.

Such physicians engage in blatantly ignoring their obligations as per the Hippocratic Oath, their given licensure in the state of AZ, and fundamental codes of health care ethics. The utter lack of moral foundation exhibited by such physicians acts as fuel to the fact that a majority of ASH staff in all levels of employ lack the requisite moral character when it comes to overseeing the care needs of highly vulnerable adults. Thereby exasperating the illness(s) that each individual ASH patient already has to struggle with on a day by day basis. I can and do willingly attest to this fact, for I experienced it my own right- on a day to day basis- during my tenure as an ASH patient in 2011-2012.

It is that simple. It is that bad.

"Center of Psychiatric Excellence."

I contend that this outrageous mischaracterization of the realities at ASH is just one more blatant example of the outrageous propaganda that ADHS Director Dr. Cara Christ and various ne'er-do-wells working under her authority so happily love to utilize  in duping public awareness about the substandard care practices at ASH. Grossly inaccurate statements designed to keep the truth about ASH in the dark. In direct violation of the public trust. And entirely consistent with the flow of mistruths that former ADHS director Will "Yea Team!!!" Humble habitually spewed out whenever he issued official commentary about the operation of ASH, during that period of time, 2010-2015, when myriad and still yet be addressed issues occurring to the detriment of the ASH patient community were rampant throughout the whole of the Hospital itself. Which, I contend, they still are.

Rampant.

It is, indeed, that bad.

With the above described issues in mind, in  one hot period of no more then 13 months, ADHS expects us to believe that all elements of the substandard conditions at ASH have vanished, to such a degree that today, Arizona's sole long term public mental health facility validly qualifies  as: 

"Center of Psychiatric Excellence.

As though we the public are that stupid. The fact is, that far from "excellent", the actual situation at ASH is just as bad as I have described it to be. This simply must be, given that any number of individuals involved in the known hellish history of ASH are still working there- from primary care psychiatrists, nursing staff, and technicians- individuals who are equally at fault for the abject practices at ASH as former ASH CEOs and other recently disciplined (FIRED!) state employees associated with operation of ASH are known to be.

Indeed, it is insulting to the mind of anyone of reasonable intelligence that these people continually emanate such ridiculously untruthful and overblown descriptions about the known realities at ASH. As if not more insulting then it was to me as an ASH patient to have so-called medical professionals- on the basis of my disability- treat me as anything less then human, not deserving of basic respect, and inherently incapable of recognizing the gross misconduct that those professionals engage in as a matter of standard practice.

Nothing short of a radical overhaul of the Hospital's overall employment pool will lead to meaningful improvement of ASH's grossly substandard conditions, and for that to happen, it will also require a intense vetting of any persons that the state of Arizona grants authority in the construct of ADHS, and consequent amelioration (betterment) of persons entrusted in that context.

Why? Because the greater tax paying public deserve far, far better; as do the families of patients who are deserving of optimum medical services provided by ADHS/BHS, and the patients at ASH themselves. Anything less is sinful, sickening to the conscience, and utterly defiant of human nature's  potentially "excellent" qualities.

I cannot explain why Arizona's health care officials are still so willing to present themselves as persons still willing to impose prejudice and related stigma upon mentally ill citizens under their authority. But this is case. And it has to end.

Bottom line.

Cara "Tremendously Proud" Christ.
Director, Arizona Department of Health Services.

"We have seen incredible improvements at the state hospital over the past year and are tremendously proud of our team and their recovery oriented approach to patient care.”

I'll just say it.

That smile ain't gettin' you anywhere honey.

-----------------------------

IN CLOSING: Not just proud, this woman, but "tremendously proud". About what, exactly, God only knows. For to date, she hasn't provided the public with one shred of evidence to the effect that ASH is currently operating in abidance with established medical standards. I suspect this is the right time to clarify again that upon Cara Christ's appointment to her current ADHS position, in or about February, 2015 (to the position that she currently holds), I had no reason to question her qualities as a human being. In fact, I was just as willing at that time to believe that she would be able to meet her specific responsibilities as I was when I originally began seeking to compel state officials at ADHS agency to do the right thing when I hospitalized at ASH, and in ensuing months into years when I was establishing this blog; but as the record shows, my faith in such officials circa 2011-2015 was breached to no less degree then it was when I turned to my primary care psychiatrists at ASH in order to compel them to do the right thing. I thus advised Dr. Christ when I first communicated with her in March, 2015, that while I was willing to give her fair opportunity to better the patterns of abject ineptitude within ADHS/BHS that I was so familiar with to that date in time, I was also more then willing to take her to account should any evidence arise to the effect she in any way resembles her predecessor, Will "Yea Team!!!" Humble.  And that is where we are today. Evidence to that effect is now emerging to the nth degree, garnering- I regret to say-  this woman a nickname of her own:

                       Dr. Cara "Tremendously Proud" Christ.

And on the basis of my knowing that the aforementioned California based mental health activist, who spent nine months at ASH circa 2008-2009, is a dedicated follower of my work, I will say as I have countless times in the past: Thank you, thank you, thank you. Together, you and I, and our associates in field of mental health advocacy will in time see that this nature of abject discrimination against persons such so affected is terminated in American society and culture once and for all. This, as a simple matter of decency with respect for humanity across the board.

Beware/fair warning to those of you who for whatever reason don't know better.

paoloreed@gmail.com

Staff Smuggled Contraband: As to not only the presence of highly illicit contraband and the simple fact that some proportion of ASH staff are behind its presence, but also the fact that staff across the board have for years refused to report the issue as it stands. The Hows and Whys.

Pervaiz Akhter
Primary attending psychiatrist
Arizona State Hospital
1997-2015

"I cannot believe you are really not a felon."

Dr. Pervaiz Akhter.
May 11, 2011. 

Dr. Cara Christ
Director, Arizona Dept. of Heath Services
Jan. 2015- present.

"We have seen incredible improvements at the state hospital over the past year and are tremendously proud of our team and their recovery oriented approach to patient care.”

Cara Christ. May 05, 2016.

"As far as contraband goes, there is (sic) actually a lot of staff that bring that in- and ACTPC is the worst unit...." 

      Insider source (data) provided by current ASH staff to PJ Reed The Arizona State Hospital and Patient Abuse, May 23, 2016.



"One of the challenges of being a whistleblower is living with the knowledge that people continue to sit, just as you did, at those desks, in that unit, throughout the agency, who see what you saw and comply in silence, without resistance or complaint. They learn to live not just with untruth but with unnecessary  untruths, dangerous untruths, corrosive untruths. It is a double tragedy: what begins as a survival strategy ends with the compromise of the human being it sought to preserve and the diminishing of the democracy meant to justify sacrifice." 

      Edward Snowden, from the forward, "The Assassination Complex", by Jeremy Scahill, 2016.

       

INTRODUCTION

First of all. If indeed there have been any "incredible improvements" with regard for the known corruption and associated sub-standard care practices and conditions at The Arizona State Hospital, why the hell doesn't Dr. Cara Christ offer any clear idea of just what those improvements are?!? This concern is evident with her response to this latest evidence about ongoing staff criminality, just as it was when she communicated with me via e-mail on November 11, 2016:

"Many changes have occurred at the State Hospital over the past 6 months, and we're hoping they are positively impacting the care that is provided."

Changes? What changes? It will take actual information- vs. vague inferences to what I believe is far less then stated improvement- that in fact identifies such changes before we the staff of this blog come to trust this woman. And I recommend that any followers of our work take the same stance, this given the known history when it comes to state health care officials making such statements. Allow, as such, for this article to stand as a call to Dr. Christ with the very real need in mind for her to offer such information at this time. Anything less will only further the questionable character of this particular highly entrusted state official, and if she has any reasonable degree of conscientious self-awareness, she'll take immediate advantage of this calling and do the right thing.

While she still can. 

Now onto the most recent news about the fact that ASH is still in the same level of crisis that it was when I departed there in February, 2012.

"AZ State Hospital dealing with dozens of recent contraband incidents." By David Biscobing, ABC News Ch15/KNVX-TV, May 5, 2016.



As wonderful as it is to know that the good staff at Phoenix area ABC Ch15/KNVX have published yet another prime time news report specific to the grossly substandard health care practices at The Arizona State Hospital, this particular exposure/revelation of highly unlawful activities at ASH is hardly new. For the fact is, on June 9, 2012, this blog reported the issue of highly illicit contraband that was being distributed by ASH staff and a narrow group of ASH patients  on the civil side of the facility itself, including but not limited to tobacco products, in the article entitled:

"#1 RE: Highly Illegal Tobacco Sales By Staff. Wherein, despite The Arizona State Hospital touting itself as a smoke free facility in legislative venues and the media, the staff at ASH criminally smuggle tobacco and other illicit substances onto Hospital grounds, which is then sold at exorbitant profit, fully untaxed or otherwise regulated, at the expense of patient health and well being."



"Arguably the single most disturbing feature of proven staff abuse, greed, and utter disregard for patient health and wellbeing, I attest to the fact that the willingness of staff at The Arizona State Hospital (ASH) to smuggle and sell illicit substances within the Hospital grounds/property, including but not limited to tobacco products, reflects how deeply substandard the conditions at ASH are. The ASH staff who directly engage in or contribute to this problem ignore state and federal law, as well as the Hospital's own policies, in order to criminally profit off the addiction to nicotine that a relatively small proportion of the ASH patient population have to deal with in their own lives on a daily basis." 

      (copyright PJ Reed 2012)



But even earlier in time, circa spring 2011, when I was less then 30 days into my full 13 months of in-patient "treatment"(for lack of a better word), I provided the Arizona Department of Health Services with irrefutable evidence about the fact that ASH staff engage in illegally smuggling illicit substances onto Hospital grounds as a matter of standard practice. The above cited article (excerpt,  PJ Reed The Arizona State Hospital and Patient Abuse, June 9, 2012) was only necessary due to the documented fact that in spring 2011, when I, PJ Reed, made that good faith effort  to report the presence of highly illicit contraband to the Hospital's medical staff (namely, my assigned primary psychiatrist, Dr. Laxman Patel) and the then functioning patient advocate Sonya Serda, the administrators of ASH and their given subordinates in ASH's security staff blatantly refused to take any meaningful action, despite the undeniable fact that this issue was posing ongoing threat to the safety of patients and ASH staff alike.

After doing what I could to compel Hospital staff directly associated with my specific treatment to meet their responsibilities in this matter, I felt the (my) first sense of civic duty as a patient that I in time became so familiar with while hospitalized at ASH, because I realized with respect to this one single example of the issues most at stake, that  it fell upon me to alert somebody- anybody- of reasonable authority and responsibility about this issue, as it stood then.



I began by submitting a letter about the matter to ADHS Office of Grievances and Appeals; I did not feel at that point that I would need to file a formal grievance document, given the undeniable fact that all aspects of the issue were occurring in violation of state and federal law, a fact that I made clear to them in that letter. Which I of course have my copy of- the letter, that is (and all other related documents). But I received no response whatsoever, and for a period of 3 weeks I waited to see some nature of reaction there in the Hospital itself. But nothing happened. At all.

Thus compelling me to take my concerns to the Arizona Department of Health's Office of Human Rights (OHR), by submitting to that office a far more detailed letter that clarified the issue down to the names of persons- again, patients and staff alike- who I knew to be centrally involved in the distribution of contraband throughout the entirety of ASH's civil side. Shortly thereafter, in late April, 2011, an advocate from OHR named John Gallagher came to me there at ASH in order to discuss the matter, as it stood at that time. 



At that time, Gallagher and I agreed that a letter written about the issue by OHR, to be directed to the administrators of ASH, would be a reasonably sufficient means by which to see that this specific situation would be addressed on behalf of the consumer-clients of ASH (patients), all of whom are disabled under state and federal law.  Given the related fact that by reporting this issue, I was putting myself at risk of retaliation- yet again, from patients and staff alike- we also decided to keep my name out of the picture, to whatever extent that may been possible. But even following that meeting, I saw no evidence to the effect that the issue was being addressed to any extent at all. The associated violence and other like elements of this activity continued unabated, as though I had not even met with Mr. Gallagher in the first place. So, after three weeks, I gave Mr. Gallagher a call, at his office, and as per his instruction to me, and provided him with the fact that no changes had come about. 

Approximately seven days after that call, ASH security closed the common bathrooms on what's known as the "patient mall", ostensibly on the basis of the fact that some proportion of the distribution and use of illicit substances (primarily tobacco, in my experience) tended to occur in those bathrooms. This dubious action had zero impact on the presence of contraband, including illicit substances, and instead led to patients defecating and urinating at various points on Hospital grounds. Beyond this closure of said bathrooms- which was temporary as it turned out (once the issue of defecation arose, etc.)- I witnessed absolutely no other form of action when it came to addressing the ongoing prevalence of staff smuggled contraband throughout the entirety of ASH's civil side.

Therein, just on more example of the grossly inept management of the ASH operation, to the direct detriment of the ASH patient community across the board; standard practice, in Arizona's sole one term public mental health facility. 

Underlying not only the fact that some proportion of persons employed by ADHS are willfully contributing to the now proven issues most at stake, this with respect for the mis-operation of ASH, I contend that it  is also the bureaucratic system itself that causes the sluggish if not entirely nonexistent response to addressing these matters. Even at the Hospital itself, there is a clear disconnect between the ones in ASH's administration and the patients themselves, as well lower ranking staff who spend the most time in direct interaction with patient community in general. As in, lower  ranking staff technicians, nurses, and security, and even the facility's primary attending physicians, all of whom basically function somewhat independently from those in the executive offices at ASH, and beyond in the ADHS/BHS construct.


Likewise, as illustrated by academic literature specific to bureaucracies across the board, it is well known that very real resistance to change, and the related theme of "Don't make waves, or else....", is central to the functioning of bureaucratic systems. I came to realize that these factors directly contributed to the "brick walls" that I ran into when I was doing everything I could- as per protocol- to report the substandard conditions at ASH to literally each and every state agency responsible for the operation of ASH; namely, ADHS itself, and the ADHS Office of Grievances and Appeals. I strongly feel that this also applies to the unwillingness of ASH staff to meet their own obligations with respect for reporting issues that they recognize as unlawful or otherwise out of standing with the given rules specific to their jobs- and the contraband issue acutely illustrates this. Indeed, when I was hospitalized at ASH, I personally encouraged a number of "good" ASH staff to take action when issues affecting the quality of their own activities, as in to report stuff in their own right- as per their state employment contracts- but in each case, the ones I spoke with were afraid of putting their job at risk.    



-----------------------------------------

DISCUSSION

Much more recently, the Phoenix affiliate of ABC News reported the fact that over a period of no less then (the previous) six months, the staff at The Arizona State Hospital have discovered the presence of contraband characterized as dangerous.


In this news report, Arizona Department of Health director Dr. Cara Christ states:

“One of our top priorities at the Arizona State Hospital is patient and staff safety. The therapeutic environment we provide includes things like food visits, birthday cards and hugs from loved ones which helps our patients on their road to recovery and maintains our patients' rights. While these simple things may increase the risk of contraband entering our facility, they mean so much to our patients, so we are diligent in our monitoring and all reports of potential contraband are investigated...." 

(see:  "AZ State Hospital dealing with dozens of recent contraband incidents." By David Biscobing, ABC News Ch15, May 5, 2016.)



Dr. Christ's allegation that patients' families are in any way involved in the presence of contraband at ASH stands as just one more glaring illustration of discrimination against persons affected by mental illness
Her presumption as it stands that because these are people related to persons so affected, they are in some way of depraved character. Mental illness is illness, Dr. Christ, and in no way an example of ethical discord.

Dr. Christ's obvious lack of awareness in this context is also why issues such as these remain prevalent, despite that fact that no less then 4+ years ago, ASH administrators and officials in the ADHS construct were made aware of this specific issue as it still stands.

Why this woman, one of the state of Arizona's most highly entrusted public health care employees, would make so outlandish an accusation- putting the blame for the presence of contraband on the families of ASH patients- is all but beyond me. Except to say that her apparent perspective on persons affected by mental illness is utterly consistent with the longstanding and endemic prevalence of abject discrimination against persons so affected. Implying that she too is mired in the historically evident myths about mental illness across the board that still today furthers the stigma of not only such persons so affected, but even their relatives.

I contend with no hesitation that Dr. Christ should know this. And likely does. Then again, she is not a licensed psychiatrist, in fact, is- rather- a medical doctor most specifically trained and licensed to attend to physical health care. But whatever the case is for her ineptitude in this matter, if she is going to be the one officially speaking about the operation of ASH- rather then ASH's current Chief Executive Officer Dr. Aaron Bowen- she would do well to take care and not expose herself as only one more illustration of the issues most at stake, most if not all of which are occurring due to the 18th century mindset(s) of ASH psychiatric doctors and other like medical staff working there today.

In ABC Ch15's news report, Christ further states that:

"We have seen incredible improvements at the state hospital over the past year and are tremendously proud of our team and their recovery oriented approach to patient care.”

What improvements? What nature of improvements? Please give us anything in support of this claim! Grant us that much, at least!

The sole word in Christ's entire statement of any worth is "incredible'', for indeed, the recognized depths of criminal activity sponsored by ASH staff, and the associated substandard health care there, are incredible in their own right. Incredibly inhumane, unlawful, and out of whack with established standards of health care.

The fact at this time is, that by offering the public nothing more then vague references to the required need for persons in ADHS and at ASH to take immediate action in bringing about bringing the practices at ASH up to standard with established medical standards once and for all, Dr. Christ is only cementing her place in the despicable history of ASH circa this given century.

This fact further confirms the reality that persons in virtually each and every state official and related administrative position relating to the mis-operation of ASH are still complicit in allowing for the abusive conditions at ASH to continue, very possibly due to ignorance and utter lack of knowledge, not to mention arguably vicious character. This was the story when I initially took action to alert ADHS/BHS officials as to the issues at stake when I was hospitalized at ASH in 2011-12. And as we see in the May 5, 2016, ABC Ch15 news report, the now proven willingness of state health care officials to do whatever they have to in order to deflect any such evidence as a matter of maintaining the status quo is still ongoing, in the context of said substandard care practices and associated staff ineptitude. For herein, by deferring the cause/blame for this issue onto the families of ASH patients ("...loved ones... may increase the risk of contraband entering our facility..." ), Arizona's entrusted public health care czar- Dr. Christ- effectively conceals the fact that it is ASH staff- not outside visitors- who are behind the presence of contraband, including and arguably most significantly ASH security staff. I further attest that various forms of contraband are present throughout the entirety of the ASH facility, including the civil side of ASH, vs. one specific forensics unit (as characterized in ABC Ch15's story). It is that bad. Even today.

Additionally, in my opinion, it is most disturbingly unjust for Dr. Christ to allege that the families of persons affected by mental illness are in any way of criminal character. For ASH is a  hospital, operated under the authority of the Arizona Department of Health Services, and not a prison or other like corrections facility assigned the responsibility of overseeing non-mentally ill persons convicted of crime.

As noted at the top of this article, I initially recognized that fact that there shockingly inaccurate forms of belief about persons affected by mental illness in this context when in May, 2011, I was introduced to my 2nd primary attending ASH psychiatrist, Dr. Pervaiz Akhter , who at the onset of that 25 minute interaction, blurted out "I can't believe that you are really not a felon?" Establishing, as such, his own lack of understanding that mental illness is not in any way a matter of criminal state of mind in itself. Knowing as I do that even ASH's licensed psychiatrists are so lacking in contemporary awareness and related intelligence, it should be of little surprise, I suppose, to realize that someone in Dr. Christ's shoes has similar shortcomings, all of which directly contributes to the abject presence of substandard heath care in Arizona's sole long term public mental health facility.

Such grossly skewed belief, expressed by individuals representing so-called medical expertise about the character of mentally ill persons, plays a central role in the furthering of unjust public discrimination against such persons. Away from the writing of this blog over the past fifty two months, I have also been involved in advocating for raised public awareness with regard for the reality that persons affected by mental illness are fully deserving of respect and understanding, and that they (we) are not- in fact- inherently affected by immoral or otherwise suspect state of mind. In engaging in this area of advocacy, I have learned that it will take the direct participation of persons in positions akin to Dr. Christ's post at the head of Arizona's Department of Health Services if we are ever going to bring about an end and once and all to abject discrimination at the public level, for it persons such as her who he public are most willing to rely upon.

Sadly, Dr. Christ in her own right is only one more member of a massive body of bureaucratic system of health care. Such systems are increasingly being identified as the wrong way to serve the needs of the public when it comes to health care across the board. And when it comes to persons in highly vulnerable states of health and wellbeing, the recognized flaw lines in bureaucratic entities pose the highest level of harm when it comes to those they are obligated to serve.

As follows.

----------------------------------------------

Of Bureaucracy.  

"It also important for me to state that there are some very good people working at ASH, people who are sincerely dedicated to serving the interests and needs of the patient-clients there at ASH in absolute accordance with standards of care and related common codes of morals and ethics in the context of vulnerable adults, and so on. That said, I will add at this time that the well intentioned staff at ASH have associated responsibilities- as per their very real state employment contracts- in terms of reporting staff misconduct in every form, and that there are very clear protections in place that equally clarify the basic fact that there's really no excuse for standing aside and allowing for misconduct to go unreported."
     (copyright PJ Reed 2012)

"I, Daniel Blake." Ken Loach. May 13, 2016. Cannes Film Festival (winner of the 2016 Palme d'Or award for Best Film).

I am including material from the 2016 Cannes Film Festival winner of the Palme d'Or (awarded as the Best Film) as a practical matter of describing the nature of my own experiences when I engaged in a good faith effort to compel state officials in Arizona Department of Health Services to address the now proven issues specific to the mis-operation of ASH, circa 2011-2012, when I was hospitalized there. Beyond it's obvious quality as a film in itself ("I, Daniel Blake"), the core theme of the story is somewhat consistent with my latest research and writing specific to the fact that increasingly bureaucratic system managed public health care, and other like public interest based resources, so radically dehumanizes the individual that persons reliant upon such resources are paradoxically experiencing heightened suffering, versus benefit. Disconnect, more specifically, between agency/systems managed interaction and those individuals forced to rely, as such. 100% on point with the hows and whys when it comes to the fact that AZ Dept. of Health Services has yet to directly address the grossly substandard care practices in AZ's sole long term public mental health facility, AZ State Hospital, the impacts of which land most squarely on the heads of those individuals hospitalized in that facility.

The following excerpts were drawn from an interview with award winning Director Ken Loach's research into bureaucracy in his own right.

"The state's attitude is not an accident. The poverty, the indignity, the humiliation people go though is consciously done.... (In terms of human consequences) ....The state is knowingly inefficient or cruel, knowing that people will be drawn into frustration, despair, hunger and possible suicide. This is a conscious cruelty in the way we organize our lives now which means the most vulnerable people in society, such as the disabled, are caught in this unfair situation. They are often unable to live with dignity, and instead suffer pain and despair. It is deeply shocking that that this is happening at the heart of our world."

I could not better describe the sense of my own experiences when I personally went through- and am still  going through today- trying to get the administrators at ASH itself (namely former ASH Chief Executive officers   Cory Nelson and Donna Noreiga, both of whom have since been fired, and just to name a few) as well as their immediate superiors in the ADHS construct (namely persons employed in the ADHS' Office of Grievances and Appeals, as well as former ADHS director Will Humble and range of other like officials) to simply do the right thing. As in, abide by the rules and laws directly applicable to acknowledging any information specific to the operation of ASH, as defined in the rules and standards at ASH, as well as the Arizona Administrative Code.

Particularly with respect to the fact that I found it deeply shocking that this is happening in Arizona's sole long term public mental facility, the Arizona State Hospital. So deeply disturbing to me when I was hospitalized at ASH that I did, indeed, lapse into heightened suicidal ideation when I realized not only were the ones directly responsible for the care of the ASH patient community across the board unwilling to address the abuse(s) of patients, but further that they were willing to put my own life in jeopardy (by systematically retaliating against me) on the basis that I was willing to openly report such issues to the best of my ability at that time. It was that bad.

But when I opted to engage in seeking the support of ADHS with regard for the issues most at stake, I found myself facing a bureaucratic monstrosity that was literally unable to function in relation to ADHS' obligations to the public, including and at the time most specifically with respect for a person/consumer of public resources such as I at the time, located as I was in the state's sole long term public mental health facility. Not one single attempt that I made to budge the ones in ADHS's various offices into reasonable action were successful, both during and after my time at ASH. It was that bad, and it was that obvious.

For the fact is, I repeatedly ran into one after another clearly negative lack of response- "...brick walls..."- by state employed individuals at every level of the process when I, as a patient at ASH, tried to the best of my ability- always as per protocol- attempted to get such state employees to act on my behalf. Each and every one of these people were and are still today obligated by law and policy to take meaningful action with respect for the grossly substandard conditions and associated care practices at ASH, as they stood then and still stand today. This fact is now exemplified by the news that the contraband issue at ASH is still in occurrence  today, almost five years after I provided ADHS with valid data about the issue in 2012.)

"Every level of the process", beginning with my reporting such issues to my attending primary care physician(s), followed by turning to the Hospital's patient advocate, and then to the representatives of the ADHS Office of Grievance and Appeals, and ultimately, to the Director of ADHS itself; always in this context as per all applicable protocol.

And for this, my efforts as an ASH patient, I was summarily transferred from the most peaceful unit (where I had been referred to by my attending psychiatrist in Tucson on the basis of the fact that I am a proven pacifist with absolutely no record of violent behavior) to the most violent one, one (1) business day after the submission of a formal grievance prepared and drafted by a state employed human rights advocate named John Gallager. Directly involved in that action were current ASH Chief Medical Officer Dr. Steven Dingle and former-now fired ASH Chief executive Officer Cory Nelson; I herein attest yet again that these individuals blatantly flaunted the Hospital's own rules and procedures in the context of unit transfer, as well as related law in the Arizona Administrative Code.

As we well know, a number of patients hospitalized at ASH have in fact committed suicide in graphic spite of the fact that they were to be protected by ASH's medical staff. And in my case, knowing as I did by then that Hospital administrators had willfully put the public at risk at that point in time when they covered up the escape of Jesus Rincon Murietta in May, 2011, this to avoid oversight and accountability, and further, that they were willing to put me at risk of physical harm by forcing me into one of ASH's most violent units, I did as a matter of plain fact begin to question why I should be willing to not commit suicide at that time when I was hospitalized at ASH. This basic presence of aggravated mental condition in my case was further exasperated when I learned the hard way that even persons in the greater ADHS/BHS construct were complicit in allowing for the grossly substandard conditions and care practices at ASH when I was there. And I know today that I was not alone. Not then, and not now.

Ergo, the blatantly inability of ADHS' bureaucracy to respond to my efforts, as described above, directly contributed to the willingness and ability of ASH administrators and their charges in facility itself to put me at grave risk of harm. This in a context of my very real struggle to recover from acute suicidal ideation at the time, as well with respect for the dangers that they exposed me to by unlawfully placing me one of ASH's most volatile patient units. I can attest to this with absolute sincerity, for I experienced these issues on a thirteen month 24/7 basis.

It was that bad then, and it is clearly that bad today. This fact is undeniably illustrated by Dr. Cara Christ's  overt attempt to deflect the real issues at stake when it comes to the presence of contraband at ASH away from facility staff and onto the families of ASH patients. Shockingly unjust rejection of the very real harm that ASH patients are subjected to due to the willingness of some ASH staff to illegally smuggle illicit substances and other like forms of contraband into ASH for profit. Ask yourself, oh reader, what incentive would family have to provide their mentally ill kin with any form of harmful products, be it substances such as tobacco, or weapons? Likewise, how is that a person with Dr. Christ's qualifications would conclude that the family of persons effected by serious mental illness are in any way criminal in nature?

Dr. Cara Christ, May 05, 2016

"We have seen incredible improvements at the state hospital over the past year and are tremendously proud of our team and their recovery oriented approach to patient care." 

Yeah, sure "we" (you) have. And yeah, sure you are. Just like Will Humble always was when he was asked to comment on the mis-operation of ASH. "What a great team" that particular Rat Bastard said on countless occasions in his official "Director's Blog" during his tenure as the Director of ADHS, during that period of time when now proven corruption at ASH was in its blossoming phase. And indeed, 100% consistent with Humble's Stalinist propaganda, we the public have yet to be provided with any iota of evidence to the effect that valid improvements to the mis-operation of ASH have in fact come about. As the record has shown in the last five+ years, these people continuously emit grossly vague and in fact untruthful statements about the actual conditions at ASH, which are only brought into question when irrefutable evidence about the actual realities at ASH emerge in this blog's articles, ABC Ch15 news reports, and other like elements of truthful data about the substandard conditions at ASH. Article and news reports that have repeatedly been published at various points in time since spring 2012, right up to the present, summer 2016.

"....people continue to sit, just as you did, at those desks, in that unit, throughout the agency, who see what you saw and comply in silence, without resistance or complaint. They learn to live not just with untruth but with unnecessary  untruths, dangerous untruths, corrosive untruths....." (Edward Snowden; "The Assassination Complex", by Jeremy Scahill, 2016.)

I learned the hard way that even ASH's "good"  staff don't believe they can do much to address the longstanding issues at stake, should any one of them have the sense of decency to try and do so. This, too, is basic one feature of bureaucratic systems of public health care.  The "good" staff who I came to know at ASH were very fearful of retaliation should they engage in any form of reporting these issues to state and federal authorities, or the media. Afraid to "make waves," as it were. Following the covered up escape of a very violent ASH patient named Jesus Rincon Murietta, for example, I directly encouraged a number of staff whom I was on a friendly basis with to step forward and share related information with local media (specifically, with Arizona Republic reporter J.J. Hensley, whom I had shared information with at that time, my request to them being to merely confirm the information I had already provided him with), but these "good" staff were so afraid of their superiors that none of them felt they could do this without posing risk to their job security.

Even worse then this condition  is the presence of ASH staff who willfully condone or in fact are involved with the criminal misconduct there, clearly unprincipled human nature that is endemic to the nth degree throughout the virtual whole of ASH staff. Indeed, the "good' staff at ASH were in the minority; and I can attest to the fact that in my time on the Civil side of the ASH facility, a high majority of ASH staff exhibited shameless character, persons willfully turning a blind eye to the abuse of ASH patients across the board, and gong further at times in engaging in this misconduct as a matter of standard practice. Most of these people still work at ASH, too. But central yet again to the nature of bureaucracies, is the resistance of such systems to effect radical change, of more succinctly, change of any kind. Literally assuring that such miscreants have little reason to fear oversight or accountability.

That said, Dr. Christ's declaration of "incredible improvements over the past year" is dubious, to say the least. Her obvious willingness to make such inaccurate and over exaggerated claims is consistent with bureaucratic systems, as well; individuals functioning as spokespersons who have little ability to speak in reasonably straight forward terms, opting instead to blow the alleged qualities of such systems grossly out of proportion. We saw this with former ADHS director Will "Yea Team!!!" Humble, circa 2011-2015, and we are seeing it again, in spring, 2016. It is that bad.

I immediately spotted the first signs of Dr. Christ's questionable characteristics in this context when she stated in an email that she sent me on November 11, 2015, as follows:

Good evening, PJ,

I appreciate you reaching out to contact me. I've seen your blog and only wish you the best. We have been encouraging staff and patients to bring forward their concerns and data to review, and would extend the same opportunity to you, as well. Many changes have occurred at the State Hospital over the past 6 months, and we're hoping they are positively impacting the care that is provided. We are always open to feedback, and I am interested to learn more about the data you may have. Again, thank you for reaching out.

Have a good evening,
Cara.

                  -----------------------

"Many changes....", where something a little bit more grounded- how about just the word changes in itself?- would have surely been more accurate. Suffice it to say, I did in fact offer a good faith response to the woman immediately after hearing this peppy little body propaganda, as follows:

PJ Reed [to Cara] <paoloreed@gmail.com> 11/10/15
                                                                                             
Thank you! I sincerely appreciate your intent, as it appears to me at this time. I will pass some more information in the next few days.

Sincerely, P----------. Author, The Arizona State Hospital and Patient Abuse. 
                 -----------------------

And suffice it to further to say that I did in fact forward Dr. Christ a reasonable amount of information specific to my knowledge base about the overall substandard conditions and care practices at ASH, including hard line data about the issue of staff smuggled contraband onto the grounds of ASH. But did she take any action on this particular issue at  following that communication?  NO. This, as exemplified by the fact that it took efforts of staff at ABC Ch15 to bring the issue to light a full six months after my providing her with said data, in the interest of the public trust, on behalf of the ASH patient community, as well as ASH staff as it applies. 

Conversely, has she taken any action with direct respect for any number of other issues that I know she is aware of in the context. Again, an emphatic NO.

It is readily apparent that the current director of Arizona's entire public health system is only going to meet her full obligations as per the public trust once issues of critical concern are exposed in major media. Fully consistent with the manner in which her predecessor Will "Yea, Team!" Humble attempted to conceal- and therein allow for- the abuse of ASH patients to occur. Herein lies the hows and whys underlying the fact that Arizona's sole long term public mental health facility is operating in defiance of established health care law and policy. An abject willingness of numerous state employees, bureaucrats the whole bunch, to engage in grossly unlawful misconduct.

And they are still getting away with it.

IN CLOSING: Mental illness is a matter of health, and not of deficient moral character or any like state of ethos. There is no just cause whatsoever for allowing persons not fully aware of this fact to care for persons disabled by serious mental illness. To do so only opens the door to society's most demented predators, offering employment in facilities that are required to serve the care needs of America's most vulnerable adults and children. This underlies how and why a man such as Roger Allen Forney, a known sexual child predator was able to land a job on ASH's security staff. Likewise, the bottom line causation underlying how and why persons such as now deposed Cory Nelson, Donna Noriega, etc., were capable of engaging their own unethical misbehavior while overseeing the operation of ASH. And these are only a few, ones who have actually been somewhat held accountable to date, for on that list can go. Anyone of reasonable intelligence can grasp the fact that these few were not alone in carrying on with such misconduct. In order to even occur (much less continue unabated), such misconduct requires the direct involvement of some majority of ASH staff, and equally complicit state officials in ADHS.   

As I have made clear in previous articles since the inception of this blog in spring, 2012, there are a number of good staff doing all they can to perform their duties to the best of their ability, in spite of the fact that doing so is hampered to the nth degree by the presence of supervising staff who we all know to be directly involved in maintaining the status quo at ASH, to the detriment of the ASH patient community as a whole. Likewise, as I have stated in the past, it is nonetheless incumbent on each and every staff person at ASH to report any nature of unlawful misconduct as per their given state employment contracts. I know that the core reason for most of the good staff to not report such issues has everything to do with fear of reprisal should they "make waves"; this too, one key element of bureaucratic systems of management, and the systematic resistance to change. But retaliation in this context is also 100% against state and federal law, so I will again encourage staff to consider the fact that they are protected by federal whistleblower statues, and that they have standing in terms of civil action (lawsuits, people) should the administrators at ASH or their superiors in ADHS ever engage in this nature of criminal misconduct. So do the right thing, people. 

This is all I have ever asked. 

paoloreed@gmail.com