FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Tatum A. Pritchard
Disability Law Center Finds Unlawful, Violent Practices and Unsafe Environmental Conditions Persist at Bridgewater State Hospital
February 6, 2025
Boston, MA – The Disability Law Center (DLC), Massachusetts’ Protection and Advocacy agency for people with disabilities, today released a public report detailing its findings from monitoring activities Bridgewater State Hospital (BSH) during the latter half of 2024. Informed by over a decade of onsite presence and intensive advocacy, DLC repeats its urgent call for the Commonwealth to transfer oversight of the BSH population to the Department of Mental Health (DMH) and to construct a new psychiatric hospital.
The report highlights the troubling disparity between the care, treatment, and conditions the state provides to the people involuntarily committed to BSH for mental health evaluation and treatment and acceptable standards for those committed to DMH hospitals. Among the topics covered, DLC examines BSH’s continuing unlawful restraint, seclusion, and involuntary medication practices, along with the correctional use of force protocols that BSH regularly employs to administer medication restraint and other forms of involuntary medication. The report details expert findings confirming, once again, widespread presence of mold growth and environmental contamination in BSH that threatens the health of everyone who lives and works in the facility. DLC also discusses several physical features of the state prison facility that are incompatible with the provision of psychiatric hospital level of care and issues related to continuity of care for people discharged from BSH.
“DLC again urges the Commonwealth to transfer oversight of Bridgewater State Hospital to the Department of Mental Health and commit to closing the facility. These overdue measures are essential to address the continuing rights violations and serious health and safety risks to the individuals with disabilities who are involuntarily committed for psychiatric care and treatment to the aging state prison facility,” said Barbara L’Italien, Executive Director of DLC.
As the designated Protection and Advocacy agency for Massachusetts, DLC is authorized under federal law to investigate incidents of abuse, neglect, and death of individuals with disabilities throughout the Commonwealth. Line Item #8900-0001 of the FY 2025 Budget provides DLC funding and enhanced legislative authority to monitor the efficacy of service delivery reforms, physical plant, and continuity of care at BSH.
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