Dallas VA closes psychiatric wing after 4th patient kills himself

[rainbow4321]

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/041508dnmetvahospital.3b5c763.html


The Dallas VA Medical Center has effectively closed its psychiatric wing after a fourth mentally ill patient this year committed suicide.

On April 4, a man fastened a bed sheet to the bottom corner of a door frame, draped a noose over the top, and hanged himself. Before that, a veteran hanged himself on a frame attached to his wheelchair. And in January, two men who met in the psychiatric ward committed suicide in Collin County days after being released.


Officials said the government hospital, which was rated the nation's worst VA facility in a 1995 study, stopped admitting patients the day after the most recent suicide.

Investigators from the national Veterans Affairs office will be in Dallas next week to assess the safety of the Dallas psychiatric ward. Doctors sent patient records and other documents to Washington last week for review.

[lonestarnot]

1. Sheet, what a mess.

[CoffeeCat]

2. You really have to wonder what is going on....

in psych wards these days.

Do people actually get better there?

When people check themselves in, because they're having a breakdown--or other emotional
problems--do they actually get better?

These places are kind of a mystery. Admittedly, I don't know much about them, but I hope
they serve these very vulnerable people well. This country doesn't treat people with
mental distress very well, it seems.

This story is very disheartening.

[Wickerman]

3. As Bush and McSame sought to cut VA bennies

the VA needs a massive influx of resources to deal with the issues that are coming home. The poor VA system hasn't seen anything like this ever.

[Flying Dream Blues]

4. I can't wait 'til someone chimes in that they're glad it's a Texas problem.

Clearly, we all suck and don't deserve to live.
:sarcasm: