10/03/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/03/2024 12:53
Washington, D.C.- Today, Representative Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) demanded answers from Acadia Healthcare regarding reports that inpatient psychiatric facilities owned by Acadia Healthcare have wrongfully detained patients under medically unnecessary circumstances.
"A New York Times investigation into your company detailed troubling accounts of abuse, rape, neglect, and unjust confinement of patients throughout Acadia's network of 54 inpatient psychiatric hospitals. These testimonies - offered by patients, their family members, and former and current Acadia employees - are deeply disturbing. Acadia must take immediate action to ensure that each of the thousands of patients admitted to an Acadia-owned inpatient psychiatric facility because it is medically necessary," the lawmakers wrote.
"These troubling reports are compounded by Acadia's reported motivation being financial gain. The Times piece details a number of alarming practices throughout Acadia facilities aimed at extending inpatient stays to maximize payments from health insurers. In one Florida hospital, former and current employees testified that in order to hold patients beyond the 72 hours permitted under state law, the hospital would file a petition with the courts to extend the patients' involuntary stay. The process of filing these petitions allows the facility to maintain the hold beyond the 72 hours until the court grants or rejects the petition - a process that often takes days. Regardless of the court's determination, the Florida hospital raked in thousands of dollars from insurers for the additional time," the lawmakers continued.
The lawmakers also demanded answers to the following questions:
The letter was also signed by Representatives Judy Chu (D-Calif.) and Julia Brownley (D-Calif.).
Read the full letter here.