Florida's mental hospitals suffer from chronic understaffing, lose track of expensive medication and waste taxpayer money, the Auditor General found. LUCAS DAPRILE/TCPALM Wochit
The state will investigate a Treasure Coast mental hospital for failing to report assaults and employee misconduct, officials said Friday in response to a TCPalm investigation.
More: Read the entire series of stories
The Department of Children and Families asked TCPalm for its records showing 11 incidents the Treasure Coast Forensic Treatment Center failed to report to the state.
More: TCPalm uncovers at least 11 unreported incidents
TCPalm found the incidents by comparing public records such as police reports against the DCF-provided critical incident reports the hospital has filed with the state since 2011, the most recent year available.
"We will investigate those cases immediately and take appropriate action if necessary," DCF spokesman David Frady told TCPalm. "We're going to hold them accountable if they're not reporting to us."
Nine of the 11 incidents were assaults on patients and employees and two were employee misconduct. Entry-level medical staff, not just administrators, were required by state law to report one of the employee misconduct cases in particular.
Mental Health Technician Dallas Crometie admitted to police she had a romantic relationship with a patient and took money from him. Her colleagues told police it was "common knowledge that Crometie was in a relationship with (the patient)."
This event was reported to the DCF abuse hotline, which Frady said DCF did not investigate as it did not meet the criteria for an adult protective investigation. However, it does not appear to have been reported as a "critical incident" as required by DCF rules.
Medical staff with knowledge of a caregiver having an inappropriate relationship with a mentally vulnerable patient are required to report it to DCF's abuse hotline, Frady said.
DCF said the Treasure Coast mental hospital has half the national average of patient-related assaults, based on data from the National Association of State Mental Health Directors and records DCF began keeping in July 2015.
However, that data underestimates the hospital's total because it excludes unreported incidents. Still, Frady maintained the hospital has fewer assaults than many other hospitals.
"The problems TCFTC face are the same problems Florida's other mental hospitals face and those in the country face," Frady said.
Abuse hotline
Anyone can call DCF at 800-962-2873 to report even suspected abuse on any vulnerable person, including children, senior citizens and those with mental illness.
[Series begins Jan. 21 at TCPalm.com/investigations] TCPalm investigative journalist Lucas Daprile looks into the Treasure Coast Forensic Treatment Center, including accusations of assault, alleged murder and drugging patients against their will. PATRICK DOVE/TCPALM