Staff, Not Patients, They Are the Ones to Fear. How I came to realize that persons affected by serious mental illness have as much if not more earned dignity then the wrongdoers at Arizona State Hospital can even hope for.  

Since her appointment to the highest ranking position in Arizona’s public health care system in 2015, Arizona Department of Health Director Dr. Cara Christ has repeatedly stated that there have been “great improvements” in the state’s sole long term public mental health care facility, Arizona State Hospital (ASH). To date however, January 2018, Dr. Christ has never provided any evidence or information about just what these “improvements” at ASH are, in fact. This is of very real concern to the staff of this publication, given that Dr. Christ’s immediate predecessor (Will Humble ADHS Director 2009-2015) willfully relied upon producing a pattern of overt and untruthful propaganda that served to delay a subsequent process of critically needed oversight and accountability at ASH. Propaganda that defied the realities specific to the ASH operation, including but not limited to preventable patient deaths, the tragic murder of a young Phoenix woman, and a wide range of patient generated concerns expressed in grievance submissions; and as such, granted the former administrators of ASH further opportunity to continue operatinASH in a manner deeply harmful to the welfare of the Hospital’s patient community. These issues have been exemplified by the information provided in this blog since 2012, as well as in a number of scathing investigative findings of the staff of ABC Ch15 circa 2013-2015; (As reported previously in this publication, at least three preventable deaths occurred due to this fact). 

The following article was originally published sometime in the first twelve months of the life of this blog, PJ Reed The Arizona State Hospital Patient Abuse. We are republishing this information as one means to remind our readers of how dismally substandard the operation at ASH was circa 2010-2012, and in order to raise consideration as to whether in fact any legitimate improvements have in fact come about since Dr. Christ was granted directorship over Arizona’s public health care system.  

—————————————————————

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.

(Originally published April 18, 2012)

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, David A., Constance, Jesus M., 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, Franky-Mary P., 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 health 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. 

Beth, 1993.

Beth, 1993.

A little girl reached for the stick

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 in

to 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

than the lakes down that hill-

birchwood, crystal, mountain-

and defines the trail where we met.

              (PJ Reed, January 2012)

notes:

   -beth 1993 photo oriole b

DATELINE 2018: A particularly shortsighted staff technician named Rick Tong told me in my first few days at ASH that the danger posed by patients on the open grounds of the Hospital was acute. "If you don't watch out, one of those people might attack from behind with a rock..." But, as it turned, Tong himself was more a potential wrongdoer then basically any patient I came to know at ASH, as per his being disciplined for favoring one patient over others, a patient known for violence, in fact, who Tong was brining snack foods to on his evening shifts. 

But with his like in mind, and other like Rat Bastards, I have always maintained this standard of needed mention: There are good people at ASH. Beautiful people trying to do their best in a highly oppressive, corrupt setting. Sadly, they are the minority, and power dynamics being what they are, it is the miscreants at ASH (including some doctors, some nurses, most security, and all administrators) who rule the land once anybody enters Hospital grounds. Between terrifying staff technicians such as Elaine Traylor and psychologically abusive nurses such as Peggy and Mary Anne (just to mention two), it was hard at times for me to maintain any degree of objectivity in my dealings with ASH staff across the ground. But thankfully, oh so thankfully, there were those who literally toiled and all but bent over backwards in the attempt to treat the ASH patients with nothing short of absolute respect. Sometimes, only an attempt, merely because of the overwhelmingly overbearing influence of staff management, who put those good staff though hell because they simply hated to see us, the patients, be treated that way. It was sad, indeed, to hear the ones who counted express fear and discontent as a consequence of the known corruption at ASH, and as much as I wish to mention these good staff by name, I know that in their interest, I cannot. 

And yes, oh yes, my friends from the ASH patient community. Several of whom have died preventable deaths as yet more result of the ineptitude and depraved lack of character of at least some ASH medical staff, as documented. It is for them, it is because of those friends, that I do what I do.   

I will herein plead with Arizona Department of Health Director yet again to sincerely take into account the significance of questionable issues still occurrent in the ASH operation. This, on behalf of not only the patients, but also those ASH staff who have for years been subjected to undue coercement and intimidation. She need look no further to the behavior of CEO Aaron Bowen, who in late November, 2017, imposed a passive-aggressive exhibition of behavior that was clearly intended to cow the members of the ASH Human Rights Committee into some nature of submission, all but berating them for not knowing- as he alleged- their “statutory obligations.” But said members are not even employees of the state, in any way under Bowen’s authority, and are due absolute independence as they, too, struggle to do their job to the best of their given ability as advocates for the rights and care needs of ASH patients. And as per statute, Bowen, guaranteed the right and privilege to function independent of your bullshit egoism.  

Bowen obviously does not much like that idea, though. Ergo, his time is coming. 

  

paoloreed@gmail.com