Expert review ordered after teen suicide

Incident prompts immediate changes

MIDDLETOWN — Department of Children and Families Commissioner Joette Katz is seeking an independent and comprehensive review of the safety of children at the state-run psychiatric facility in town, following a suicide there last month.

The Albert J. Solnit Children’s Center South Campus includes both hospital units and units that make up a psychiatric treatment residential facility, which provides treatment to youth as a “step down” from acute hospital care or as a diversion from an acute care hospitalization, according to a news release.

The suicide of a 16-year-old pregnant teen occurred at a psychiatric treatment residential facility unit.

In a prepared statement, Katz said the safety of youth at Solnit South is a top concern.

“This is a crushing loss for the family, but also for the professional medical and direct-care staff who work hard every day to provide treatment and safe care for our youth. It is going to be useful that we bring in some fresh eyes to make sure that we are doing everything possible to secure a safe environment,” she said.

The independent review will be conducted by experts in maintaining a safe environment in treatment facilities such as Solnit South, according to DCF. The review will assess both the physical features of the environment as well as staff training and staffing levels, emergency protocols and equipment, youth assessments, and how the licensed medical staff and the direct care staff coordinate their work, the release continued.

The suicide occurred despite the fact that many measures had been taken at the hospital and the PRTF to make the environment safer, Katz said.

This work on the PRTF started in 2015, and included many measures to address physical risks present in bathrooms and bedrooms in particular, where supervision is limited due to concerns for privacy, according to the department. Alterations to sinks, showers, towel hooks, bed frames, closet door handles, window handles, door knobs and other interior items were made to prevent them from serving as an instrument that a youth could use to hurt him or herself, the statement said.

“Following the tragic incident last month, the facility instituted several changes, including placing medical equipment, specifically oxygen tanks and suction devices, directly on each of the units at both the hospital and the PRTF.

“In addition, Solnit South changed procedures to include an additional, random check of all youth above and beyond the standard 15 minute observation schedule. Finally, cameras will be placed in the halls of the hospital and PRTF units to improve overall monitoring of youth at the facility,” according to the statement.

“This is a crushing loss for the family, but also for the professional medical and direct-care staff who work hard every day to provide treatment and safe care for our youth.”

Joette Katz, Department of Children and Families commissioner