Virginia
Related: About this forumState agency says child dropped off at Virginia mental hospital in 'very unsafe manner'
An investigation is underway after police allegedly dropped off a child at a Virginia mental hospital without waiting for an employee in what the states behavioral health agency described as a very unsafe manner.
State Sen. Creigh Deeds (D-Bath) and Nelson Smith, commissioner of the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS), began openly discussing the alleged incident during a Behavioral Health Commission meeting in Richmond on May 17.
Sen. Deeds said he heard that a child was left at the door of the Commonwealth Center for Children and Adolescents (CCCA) in Staunton, the only state-run facility that accepts minors, by a police officer during a temporary detention order transport.
Deeds also said that the officer didnt wait for an employee and left the child outside with their belongings, adding that he learned that no beds at the facility were open for the minor.
Smith confirmed the alleged incident during the public meeting, even telling Deeds and the panel of state lawmakers that there is a video. Deeds, who called the situation inexcusable, told Smith he wanted to see the video.
In a brief phone interview Wednesday, Deeds told 8News that he is livid about the situation and expressed concern over an officer leaving a vulnerable child in a position where their vulnerabilities could be exposed even more. But he said that the alleged incident underscores a deeper issue within the states behavioral health system, pointing to the shortage of workers.
https://www.wric.com/news/virginia-news/police-officer-drops-child-off-at-virginia-mental-hospital-in-very-unsafe-manner/
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Officer should be FIRED. Deeds knows what he's talking about, having dealt with his own mentally ill son.
Duppers
(28,243 posts)I remember Deeds' son's tragic death by suicide.
exboyfil
(17,980 posts)at the end of the month. My daughter who accepted a position as a facility nurse for my employer (she stays within her own hospital employer network).
Changing to 12 hour shifts and mandating mandatory overtime did it to her. Also failure to support her decisions in regards to staffing (basically calling her racist when she wanted to have a safety tech removed for failure to perform his job thus endangering the safety of staff and other patients).