Investigation of jail unit is in order
Jeanette Nebus
August 16, 2001 Investigation of jail unit is in order
— I am outraged at the alleged inhumane abuse of the — mentally ill inmates in the Orange County Jail as reported in the — July 8 Times Herald-Record.
— Alleged abuses reported include:
— "Pepper spraying, handcuffing and shackling to a — restraint chair (without a psychiatrist's order) for up to 15 hours, — sitting in urine and feces, hands swollen and purple from handcuffs, — forced to wear a motorcycle helmet, overdosed with multiple psychotropic — medications, neglect of suicidal and psychotic inmates for days and — sometimes weeks before receiving psychiatric care, cutting the Mental — Health Unit's psychiatrist's hours and preventing the (jail's) nurses — from contacting a psychiatrist."
— If the above allegations are true, they indicate — violations of patients' rights, human rights and civil rights, a lack — of knowledge of the seriousness of mental illness and its necessary — treatment, and abusive use of two kinds of restraints: Chemical restraints — (overdosing with multiple medications until unresponsive), and Physical — restraints (handcuffing and shackling to a restraint chair without — a psychiatrist's order).
— By law, in a hospital setting, restraints must be — ordered by a psychiatrist, the patient's vital signs checked and recorded — every 15 minutes, range of motion exercise given to arms and legs — every two hours, restraints removed periodically, fluids offered, — exercise and bathroom breaks, and placed constant supervision (direct — constant surveillance by a staff member).
— Is there a written policy and procedure regarding — restraining of the mentally ill in the OCJ? If so, what is it?
— Doesn't it sound as if treatment of the mentally — ill inmate at the OCJ has plummeted back into the 18th century?
— Sitting for 15 hours in one's own excreta, handcuffed — and shackled, is cruel and inhumane treatment as well as a blatant — disregard and disrespect for this law.
— Where is the public indignation in these cases? — These people are humans, incarcerated for committing an injustice — to society, but isn't abusive treatment of the mentally ill an injustice — to society? These humans have a very serious illness, which is treatable.
— Mentally ill victims should not and would not be — in jail if the state psychiatric hospitals had not been closed down — and patients released without proper supervision and follow-up care.
— Respectful expert treatment is required. The plan — of care needs to provide a therapeutic milieu with specialized treatment — by a team of experts headed by a full-time psychiatrist and an additional — "covering" psychiatrist. Don't say there's no money.
— Two nurses who tried to bring attention to the alleged — abuses of the mentally ill taking place in the county jail were fired — in 1998. They recently won a whistle-blower lawsuit against the county — and were awarded $2 million. I applaud those nurses for their courage — and action.
— Jeanette Nebus, BSN, R.N., B.S., MS.Ed., CSNT, — lives in Middletown.