The Michiana Behavioral Health Center issued a press statement in response to the allegations from a group of protesters yesterday claiming that the center is putting children in danger through a variety of policy violations, dangerously low staffing, and inadequate supervision, along with a hostile work environment that the protest group alleges has caused more than 50 employees to quit their jobs or be fired.
More than a dozen protesters lined Oak Road in Plymouth voicing their concerns and demanding change, and Diamond Campbell – a former six-and-a-half-year employee of MBHC – alleges the center is committing a variety of violations against policy and state law on a daily basis and claims the center no longer follows state-mandated regulations put in place to protect patients from aggressive preteen children and adolescents.
However, the administration at MBHC issued a statement expressing that, despite what the protesters claim, the facility has not had 50 employees that have been terminated or resigned – rather, the statement claims 17 full-time employees and six part-time employees have left within the last year, which they said is “not an unusual turnover rate” for an employer of their size.
The statement from MBHC asserts that the facility continues to meet “all staffing ratios necessary and appropriate to ensure patient safety and maintain regulatory compliance,” and stated that it takes the safety and well-being of its patients and employees very seriously as they “continually review clinical programming, procedures, and staffing to enhance the provision of safe, effective, and patient-centered treatment.”
The center said that prior to placement in the facility, each patient undergoes a comprehensive mental health clinical evaluation, and accommodation and roommate designations are determined based on a variety of clinical elements alongside the developmental age of each patient. The statement claims that the management and staff of MBHC adhere to strict guidelines and processes for dealing with patients and requires strict observation levels to ensure an environment of care and safety for patients.
The statement indicated that the center is licensed by the state, nationally accredited by the Joint Commission and maintains a good-standing with all regulatory agencies. According to MBHC, the center is not facing any financial pressures as it continues to serve all of its patients with the “highest quality of care for patients with special, and sometimes complex, mental health needs while maintaining compliance with all federal and state regulations.”
