Twenty-nine staffers at Caritas Carney’s adolescent psychiatry unit were terminated last week and hospital administration officials, spurred by an independent report that raised concerns about quality of care and patient safety, are spending $1.5 million to overhaul the unit.

Hospital president Bill Walczak was alerted a month ago to the allegation of a sexual assault against a patient. The hospital’s risk management staff investigated, reported it to the state Department of Mental Health, and then tapped Scott Harshbarger, a former state attorney general who is now a lawyer at Proskauer Rose LLP, for an independent investigation and report.

“The Harshbarger report indicated that the unit was unable to continue to function, and that their recommendation to me was to replace the current personnel,” Walczak said.

Harshbarger’s report indicated that there were “very serious concerns about quality of care and patient safety,” Walczak added.

Initially, 14 staffers were suspended, and then the number grew to 28, according to documents obtained by the Reporter.

Staffers from other units are currently working in the adolescent psychiatry unit, as Carney attempts to replace the 29 staffers who were terminated. The hospital has 1,100 employees.

According to Department of Mental Health documents laying out corrective measures the hospital is taking in the aftermath of the layoffs, staffing for the unit, with six patients, will have two nurses and a mental health counselor during days and evenings, and one nurse and one mental health counselor for nights. A plain-clothed security officer will be with the unit 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Two consultants have been hired and are developing and implementing a training curriculum, and will implement a supervision structure for new leadership and staffers.

Walczak, the former head of the Codman Square Health Center, declined to go into further detail, citing regulations and privacy laws. He declined to release the Harshbarger report, saying it involves interviews with staffers and citing attorney-client privilege.
“We’re putting in place a new plan that has different management in place,” Walczak said.

The hospital is also spending $1.5 million to rebuild the unit, including the nurse’s station, different group rooms and where the patients stay. The hospital has already completed work on the outdoor playground as part of the overhaul.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Mental Health declined to comment on the allegations, saying investigations are still ongoing. “DMH is working closely with Carney Hospital administration to ensure the safety of the patients and appropriate staffing of the unit,” said Jennifer Kritz, the spokeswoman. “DMH is monitoring the unit carefully, and the hospital is cooperating fully and taking appropriate action at this time.”

Carney Hospital was part of the Caritas chain that the for-profit Steward Health Care bought last year. Steward is providing the $1.5 million for the unit overhaul.