Keep an eye on Larned conditions

Few among us would rush to defend the rights of a sexual predator, even one who has done his prison time. That’s why it is so important for Shawnee County Judge Frank J. Yeoman to do so in the case of patients in Larned State Hospital’s sexual predator treatment program. He recently ordered the hospital to restore the treatment levels and privileges two patients had earned before they began filing complaints about conditions in the program. Lawmakers need to continue to monitor the hospital, too. “My concern all along has been that the complaints are indicative of a much larger and much broader problem,” state Sen. Susan Wagle, R-Wichita (left), told The Eagle. “There seem to be serious problems within the management of that facility, and I think there needs to be some accountability.”
Posted by Rhonda Holman

8 Comments

  1. billblyth
    Posted June 12, 2007 at 11:11 am | Permalink

    Appears nothing has changed much. I worked at the Dillon building 58-61 and it was a cesspool then but the rest of the units were not much better. Terrible treatment at that time and looks like nothing changed.Kansas should be ashamed

  2. political_mom
    Posted June 12, 2007 at 11:28 am | Permalink

    I agree with Wagle. Too bad more aren’t willing to step forward and remark about the conditions in other areas of care as well.

  3. sotheysaid
    Posted June 12, 2007 at 12:20 pm | Permalink

    There were hearings held on the conditions in Topeka. The governor’s people said that everything had been addressed from the inspection report. Come to find out later the conditions were the same and getting worse. When Brenda Landwehr asked them about the patient that died their response was that they had done everything they were supposed to do. They did add that they had made some changes and purchased some new equipment so it won’t happen again in the future. They just did not care.

    I agree that these people are not the good people of the world. They should not be forced to live in such poor conditions and worry about retribution if they do speak out.

    The Governor needs to step in and get this issue addressed. Why is she ignoring it and allowing it to continue?

  4. billblyth
    Posted June 12, 2007 at 4:15 pm | Permalink

    Please try to remember that not everyone in Larned is a sexual predator.

  5. JWink
    Posted June 13, 2007 at 8:08 am | Permalink

    I suspect most citizens would like to put their hands over their eyes and ears in respect to conditions at the Larned institution. I hope state senator Wagle, other legislators and citizens of Larned who are close to the situation will monitor conditions to see that those incarcerated there are treated like human beings.

    I suspect prisons and quasi-mental institutions such as Larned do not receive much attention from the public except for the jobs they provide in nearby communities.

  6. patient advocate
    Posted June 18, 2007 at 9:39 pm | Permalink

    What a shame! The mentally ill deserve the same treatment as any sick patient. I have had family and now friends in the so-called hospital. My experience is there are a handful of staff members who care, the rest need to resign or be terminated. The care the patient’s receive is sub-standard. There are animals with better living conditions, peace of mind. If you were not mentally ill upon admission, the staff will drive you to insanity via tornment. I hope all regulatory bodies do their part to bring adequate care to the patients. They too deserve the right to treament and quality of life. As for the staff at LSH that care, God Bless You for your work!

  7. Patricia Hoffman
    Posted July 20, 2007 at 3:05 am | Permalink

    Living in Texas I am amazed that a person can be in the Sexual Predator Unit for 8 yrs with no outside visits. As a LPC, LMFT, LCDC-CI, I firmly believe that having a strong family support is vital to a patients recovery. That is why when one patient told me that his visit from his daughter had not been approved as of yet. She was driving over 7 hours one way to visit him w/ his 2 granddaughters he has never met. I will comment more after her visit. In fact I may just go along with his daughter to document treatment.

  8. Patricia Hoffman
    Posted July 25, 2007 at 12:51 am | Permalink

    After a visit this past week end I felt like I was in prison with all the locks and eyes watching us. I will admit they made an exception for my daughter to get a week day visit since we drove 150 miles so she get get a picture taken with her dad who she had seen for 17 years. I do have one complaint that it was hot and no air conditioning in the visiting area which later caused my granddaughter (age 8) to get sick from the heat.