‘Trouble won’t stop’: Senator calls for change after WRTV Investigation into mental health facilities

INDIANAPOLIS- A state senator is pushing for major change after a WRTV Investigation at a Lawrence mental health facility.

Options Behavioral Health is facing several lawsuits from families accusing the facility of holding patients against their will.

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WRTV investigators found that finding public information about mental health hospitals in Indiana can be very difficult.

35 Independent mental health agencies are licensed by the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration’s Department of Mental Health and Addiction.

The FSSA may conduct annual inspections and investigate complaints, however, the FSSA does not post inspection reports or summaries online as they do with childcare facilities.

Basically, if the public wants to look at the examination records for a mental health hospital, they must request copies through a records request organized under the Indiana Access to Public Records Act.

It took WRTV Investigates four months to obtain the reports for the Options Behavioral Health review. We requested them on July 15th and received two reports on November 13th.

“We are talking about people in crisis situations. The problem can’t stop,” said State Senator Andrea Hunley. “The public needs to be able to access these records easily. The only way to request records is through a cumbersome records request process. ”

Sen. Hunley represents parts of Marion County and serves on the Behavioral Health Commission, a group of state leaders who make recommendations on the overall improvement of the behavioral health of Indiana residents.

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“At the end of the day, we have to have a transparent and accountable system,” Hunley said.

WRTV Investigates also found filing a complaint against an Indiana mental health agency, you can’t do it online. You must call 1-800-901-1133

“It feels old in 2024 that’s the only way you can file a complaint,” Hunley said. “We really need to have a portal. We have complaint portals for other organizations for other purposes.”

Patients can call the Mental Health Ombudsman, a separate state office, which can help resolve patients’ concerns.

MHS Indiana, which handles the ombudsman’s office and Mental Health America of Indiana, has not responded to questions WRTV sent Nov. 1 asking for the ombudsman’s office’s annual reports and statistics.

Sen. Hunley also struggled to find information.

Hunley, Democrat, and Rep. Republican Cindy Ledbetter wrote a joint letter on October 18 to FSSA’s interim director at DMHA asking questions about the agency’s oversight of mental health centers.

“How to file a complaint?” wrote lawmakers. “How do ombudsmen share information on complaints?”

The FSSA responded in writing, but did not answer the question about the ombudsman.

Lawmakers have also requested complaint data and inspection information for the past five years and have received no information, Hunley said.

Sen. Hunley said: “All my questions have not been answered.

When WRTV Investigates obtained the reports from the Options Behavioral Health review on November 13, we found them full of medical jargon and difficult to read.

“They’re not talking about the specifics,” Hunley said.

Based on the July 26, 2023 inspection report, the FSSA team visited Options Behavioral Health.

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The 2023 audit report noted deficiencies including some medical records missing signatures and documents missing important information such as patients not agreeing to provide consent.

The 2023 inspection report also found two employees lacking knowledge about self-isolation and restraint.

In 2024, the state cited Options Behavioral Health again for missing records including testimony that other patients had been given a written and oral explanation of their rights.

It is not clear what action the FSSA has taken as a result of the audit or if they have followed it.

WRTV investigators have sent a list of questions to the FSSA related to the 2023 and 2024 audit reports and we are still awaiting a response.

Sen. Hunley doubts the law will fix issues with transparency and mental health facilities.

“I don’t think one bill is going to change the whole system,” Hunley said. “We can do things the right way in the system. I think it’s going to take people working together to first acknowledge and solve the problem we have, and then come together within the systems. ”

When the FSSA says perhaps conduct an audit of 35 licensed mental health facilities, Hunley said it does not appear that the audit is required by law.

“This really bothers me,” Hunley said. “We have an agency responsible for licensing that is responsible for ensuring that we have quality care, which may not happen.”

Options Behavioral Health is accredited by an organization called The Joint Commission, has refused to provide any information about research related to Options.

“To protect patient privacy and allow for a thorough investigation, complainant information and complaint details are confidential,” said Maureen Lyons, spokeswoman for The Joint Commission in an email to WRTV. “As an accrediting agency, The Joint Commission works with health care organizations to identify potential risks to patient safety and improve the quality of care. Only federal authorities who I may order the shutdown of services.”

On November 1st, WRTV Investigates requested an on-camera interview with the FSSA to discuss the oversight of mental health facilities in our state.

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We are still waiting for a response.

WRTV investigators sent a questionnaire to the FSSA on November 1 about mental health services and we have yet to receive a response.

Craig and Elizabeth Inman are encouraging change after the emergency room sent their 12-year-old daughter to Options Behavioral Health.

WRTV

“When he told the ER that he was suicidal, they decided to get him into treatment,” said Craign Inman. “At that time, my hands were tied.”

They believe that the test results should be published online.

Craig Inman did not lodge a complaint with the FSSA about Options Behavioral Health because he could not find a way to submit one online.

She has filed a lawsuit accusing the place of holding her daughter against her will.

PAST | The father is suing the mental health agency

The father is suing the mental health agency

“Now there are no real consequences,” said Inman, “They can do whatever they want to you while you’re there and there’s nothing anyone’s going to do about it.”

WRTV Investigates also sent a questionnaire to the FSSA on November 15th regarding the reports of the Options Behavioral Health assessment, and we have not yet received answers to those questions.

READ BELOW: Options Behavioral Health’s 2024 survey reports

Have you or a loved one been a patient in a licensed mental health facility in Indiana? You can join kara.kenney@wrtv.com.