Lawsuit against Arizona State Hospital settled
The state’s psychiatric hospital has agreed to give an Arizona advocacy group more access to patients.
The Arizona Center for Disability Law had sued both the Arizona State Hospital and the Arizona Department of Health Services in federal court last year, arguing that the state was hindering its ability to monitor conditions at the state psychiatric facility.
The Arizona State Hospital is a long-term inpatient psychiatric treatment facility for people with mental illnesses that is under the state health department’s jurisdiction.
The nonprofit, public interest law firm, among other things, investigates abuse and neglect of Arizona individuals with mental illness. The group has a goal of assisting Arizonans with disabilities in promoting and protecting their legal rights to independence, justice and equality.
In the lawsuit, the center argued that the hospital violated federal law when it refused to provide “reasonable” unaccompanied access to its facilities, patients and records.
Under terms of the settlement, the Arizona State Hospital agreed to provide “reasonable, unaccompanied access” to its facilities and residents in compliance with requirements of the federal Protection and Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness Act.
State officials also agreed to allow the disability law center to educate patients at the hospital about their rights and the services that the advocacy group provides. The terms of the settlement establish a dispute resolution process in the event that the state denies the disability law center’s access to patients, facilities and records in the future.
The settlement creates a framework for the center and the state hospital to work together to increase transparency, center staff attorney Chris Carlsen said in a news release.
“Through that collaboration, we hope to further our mutual goals: to promote residents’ rights and improve their quality of life.”
State health officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment.