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The Independent
27-06-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Oregon psychiatric hospital spends thousands of taxpayers' money on sex toys for patients — many of whom are criminals, report finds
A state-run psychiatric facility in Oregon is under scrutiny over a policy that permits distributing sex toys to patients after an investigation by NBC affiliate KGW8. Oregon State Hospital provided 65 sexual aids to patients last year, costing taxpayers $2,900. In 2023, 42 sex toys were distributed to patients. The hospital is the highest security psychiatric facility in the state, and many of its patients are involved in the criminal justice system, either because they are unfit to stand trial or found guilty but legally insane on charges ranging from minor misdemeanors to serious felonies, including violent and sexual offenses. 'How does that make any sense?' asked Tiffany Edens, a rape survivor and advocate for crime victims. 'You are feeding into people's fantasies — people that have no business to have these types of toys,' she added. According to the hospital's patient handbook, 'certain items you may need for personal use, such as sexual aids' are permitted. A public records request by KGW revealed a detailed policy, including a 10-page color catalog of various sex toys available to patients. The catalog included brand names such as The Vortex, Throttle Stroker, Her Pocket Bullet, Double Dancer, Vibrating Helping Hand Pro, Vibrating Shower Stroker, and Waterproof Prostate Massager. Prices range from $14.78 to $84.99. Oregon State Hospital spokesperson Amber Shoebridge confirmed to the network that the sexual aids are paid for with public money and serve an important therapeutic purpose. 'The need for sexual expression doesn't disappear in institutional settings,' Shoebridge wrote in a statement to KGW. 'Oregon State Hospital provides access to sexual aids as a way to offer patients an ethical, and therapeutic and private form alternative for a lack of sexual expression.' According to Shoebridge, sexual expression can reduce stress, calm the nervous system, and support emotional well-being. Patients without appropriate sexual outlets may use unsafe objects, such as toothbrushes, crayons, or shampoo bottles. Access to sexual aids, she explained, creates a safer environment for staff and other patients. The sexual aid policy involves a treatment process with occupational therapists and an interdisciplinary team. Patients must provide consent and understand the proper use and hygiene. Devices are inspected monthly for at least three months, with ongoing monitoring. Consent is evaluated on a case-by-case basis, with therapists assessing patients' understanding, ability to operate, and their capacity to follow rules. Only hospital-approved, non-porous silicone devices are allowed, with a limit of two sex toys. Oregon State Hospital previously faced criticism for policies on sexual health; in May 2024, federal inspectors found it distributing condoms despite discouraging sexual contact. Shoebridge said condoms were intended to promote cleanliness and self-pleasure, but the practice is now discontinued.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
OHA uncovers latest report highlighting issues at Oregon's psychiatric hospital
PORTLAND, Ore. () — Oregon State Hospital has less than two months to prove it is now in compliance with federal standards and maintain its Medicare agreement. The state's public health leaders have uncovered a survey they conducted at the Salem behavioral health facility on Apr. 29. According to the , investigators found OSH 'was not in substantial compliance' with several regulations related to its governing body, patient rights and special provisions for psychiatric hospitals. 'Deeply private': Oregon AG challenges potential sale of 23andMe users' personal data The survey came after a patient's death in March, which led to the Joint Commission conducting its own report and . The Oregon Health Authority's newly released investigation shows that several staff members told surveyors that executive leadership 'largely ignored and dismissed' warnings and complaints about safety at the hospital. OHA's statement of deficiencies also alleged employees were 'coached' on what to say during the probe from officials. Any corrective actions that were established in response to the survey were soon discontinued, the document shows. 'This report is a clarion call for the need for the immediate changes being implemented now that will have impact to assure that patients at OSH are safe and receiving the care they need and deserve,' OHA Deputy Director Dave Baden, who is the hospital's active superintendent as of April 11, said in a statement. 'Sustained and ongoing cultural changes at the hospital will take time. We need to improve our processes in support of not only patients in seclusion or high-risk patients, but every patient at OSH.' The public health agency's report also includes a letter from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. According to CMS' health insurance specialist, the Oregon psychiatric facility's Medicare agreement is currently set to terminate on Aug. 4. This means that Medicare won't cover services for patients admitted on or after that date. Patients admitted ahead of the deadline could still receive payment for another 30 days. Port of Portland OKs lease for mass timber facility to boost jobs, housing Federal officials said the termination would only be averted if the facility created a plan of correction, which was due on June 2. According to Baden, OSH has already paused telework for patient-facing staff and required leadership to regularly visit units in order to help employees serve the hospital. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Federal judge dings OHA, OSH over failure to quickly admit aid-and-assist patients
PORTLAND, Ore. () — Federal officials have penalized Oregon health leaders for 'failing to protect' members of the public. On Friday, Marion County reported that U.S. District Court Judge Adrienne Nelson hit the Oregon Health Authority and Oregon State Hospital with a 'contempt finding' after determining they had violated the U.S. Constitution. The two agencies will also be forced to pay fines. Secret indictment reveals more details about Gresham teacher suspected of child sex crimes Disability Rights of Oregon alleged the state failed to adhere to a permanent injunction from 2003 that requires OSH to admit defendants within seven days after authorities determine they are unfit to stand trial. DRO claimed several 'aid-and-assist patients' have been held in jail for up to 50 days, and at least two individuals died while waiting to be transported to the state hospital. Both the Salem psychiatric facility and the agency behind it have been under fire for years now. Earlier in March, OHA announced the Joint Commission preliminarily stripped the hospital of its accreditation after a to the health and safety of patients. OSH has also been placed in immediate jeopardy status several times. And according to DRO, Judge Nelson said the state has been 'persistently out of compliance' with the longstanding permanent injunction. County officials have highlighted the public health agency's 2024 report, which found it was in need of hundreds of new behavioral health treatment beds. Salmonella outbreak tied to eggs sickens dozens across 7 states 'Marion County applauds these fines designed to force Oregon State Hospital to finally get serious about providing the desperately needed mental health care that Oregon law requires and that is needed to protect public safety,' Marion County Commissioner Danielle Bethell said in a statement. KOIN 6 has reached out to OHA for comment. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Oregon's mental health needs outweigh its ability to provide services, report shows
The Oregon Health Authority oversees the Oregon State Hospital in Salem. (Oregon Health Authority) This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know may be experiencing a mental health crisis, contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting '988' or chatting online at Oregon's high behavioral health needs outpace the state's availability to provide services, according to an audit report from the Secretary of State's Office. The state's suicide rate has consistently outpaced the nation since 2000, and it ranks 46th among states for adults with substance use disorders who needed but did not receive treatment, according to the report. And Oregon's behavioral crisis response systems only partially meet the national guidelines and best practices, according to the state's audit. The report, released Thursday, included recommendations for the Oregon Health Authority, as improving behavioral health systems in Oregon can provide health and economic benefits in the long run. For every $1 invested in preventing and treating youth mental disorders and suicide, there is a $24 return in health and economic benefits over 80 years, the report shows. 'We have a behavioral health crisis in our state and too many people are suffering,' Secretary of State Tobias Read said in a press release. 'By implementing these recommendations and treating this issue with the urgency it deserves, Oregon should deliver better services that keep more people healthy, housed and alive.' The Oregon Health Authority lacks sufficient data to understand the need for behavioral health crisis services, according to the report. The agency has not fully kept track of the number of calls made to the 988 mental health hotline and county crisis hotlines. It began collecting data from 988 callers in 2022, but county crisis lines still do not collect this data. The agency also has no way of tracking a caller's demographic information, such as age, race and ethnicity, gender and county. Suicide rate disparities are stark between different demographics. Native American individuals and non-Hispanic whites had the highest rates of suicide in comparison to other racial and ethnic groups, or about 20 deaths per 100,000. Rural Oregonians also had higher suicide rates than those living in urban areas. 'Without demographic data, the agency's goal of eliminating health inequities by 2030 in the behavioral health crisis system is unlikely,' the report reads. Since 2020, when 988 was designated as the national suicide prevention and mental health hotline, Oregon adopted the Crisis Now model, which has three pillars used to respond to behavioral crises across the state. These pillars are the 988 crisis hotline, mobile crisis teams and stabilization centers. The audit found that only one of Oregon's pillars — its crisis hotline — has sustainable funding. Oregon set aside this funding through a law implementing a $0.50 monthly fee for every cell phone and landline. That fund also supports some of Oregon's mobile crisis teams. The mobile teams can also receive Medicaid reimbursements. However, there is no funding dedicated for Oregon's three crisis stabilization centers, which is needed to support the continued operation of these centers. Without sustainable funding support for crisis stabilization centers, many Oregonians end up in emergency departments or have to wait for a space to open at a center. This creates a backlog of patients waiting for the appropriate care, including those who may be placed on a hold awaiting civil commitment. The report also highlights the need for behavioral health services for youth. In 2022, the state's youth suicide rate was 14.2 per 100,000 compared to 10 per 100,000 nationally, with the highest rates occurring during ages 18 to 24 years of age. And nearly every year from 2003 to 2022, Oregon's youth suicide rate has been higher than the national rate, except for the year 2010. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's 2021-2022 National Surveys on drug use: 15% of Oregon youth and 7% of Oregon adults have serious thoughts of suicide. 7% of Oregon youth and 1.5% of Oregon adults have made any suicide plans. About 4.5% of Oregon youth and 0.7% of Oregon adults have attempted suicide. Auditors offered 12 recommendations for the health authority, including recommendations to address its data collection gaps, addressing funding gaps and doing more strategic planning for the future. The health authority accepted all 12 recommendations. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Oregon union asking lawmakers to pass worker safety bills
The Oregon Health Authority oversees the Oregon State Hospital in Salem. (Oregon Health Authority) Oregon union leaders and workers said the state needs to put more safeguards in place to protect employees from harm when they work in dangerous jobs in corrections, behavioral health and others. They are backing several bills they say would help. Senate Bill 24 for example, would set minimum staffing standards for health care workers in prisons and another proposal not yet introduced would limit mandatory overtime for Oregon Department of Human Services workers in group homes. Another proposal, Senate Bill 606, would broaden workers compensation benefits to automatically cover post-traumatic stress-related conditions for Oregon State Hospital employees and DHS group home workers. Those proposals are backed up by a survey released Monday by the Oregon American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. It found that two-thirds of more than 500 AFSCME workers who responded had experienced physical violence, threats or injury in their workplace and nearly half – 49% – do not feel safe at work all the time. The survey, included in a broader report, shared the stories of workers on the job about their experiences in sectors like health care, law enforcement and behavioral health settings like the Oregon State Hospital. As lawmakers press on with the 2025 session, the report sheds light on working conditions of employees, many of them who toil in isolation outside the public eye. 'No one should work alone when they're in a dangerous situation,' Joe Baessler, executive director of Oregon AFSCME, said in a news event with workers and legislators. Yet that happens, workers said. Gillian Soderstrom, a former correctional officer at Deer Ridge Correctional Institution, experienced that circumstance during the 2020 wildfires, when inmates from another prison under threat were moved into her facility. At one point, she was alone with 120 inmates in a unit with no cameras. Her radio battery died, leaving her with only a landline. For part of the ordeal, she relied on some inmates to keep her safe from others. 'The experience was so traumatic that I left the job at the Oregon Department of Corrections and I wasn't the only one,' said Soderstrom, who returned to the agency for an executive support specialist job. David Lynch, a registered nurse at Oregon State Hospital, the state's psychiatric hospital, said conditions continue to be dangerous with patients who have high needs and difficulty in hiring staff to meet the demand. Four years ago, Lynch said, a patient assaulted him. He needed several months off work to recover from a concussion. 'People who are overwhelmed cannot be vigilant,' Lynch said. Lawmakers at the event stressed the need for action, which includes building upon past legislation. A task force started after House Bill 4002 passed in 2024, for example, made recommendations on how to keep behavioral health workers safer with written safety plans, safety planning and more training and safety assessments. Lawmakers at the news conference said they support those recommendations. Health care workers have experienced kicks, bites and beatings, said Rep. Travis Nelson, D-Portland and vice chair of the House Committee on Behavioral Health and Health Care. 'This tells me there is a culture of fear and danger in too many facilities,' Nelson said. Sen. Deb Patterson, D-Salem and chair of the Senate Health Care Committee, said the issues are interconnected. With reduced overtime and more staffing, conditions are safer. 'We need to ensure that the state has the ability to recruit and retain the kind of people like we have here who are working today,' Patterson said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
