The lawsuit accuses Maryland of "warehousing" foster children with behavioral health problems in hospitals.
The lawsuit accuses Maryland of "warehousing" foster children with behavioral health problems in hospitals. A new lawsuit has been filed against Maryland for allegedly housing foster children with behavioral health problems in hospitals and emergency rooms. The lawsuit alleges that the defendants failed to plan for and provide … behavioral health services. The problem affects more than 100 children every year, and Baltimore is not part of it, but all countries are included. In Maryland, advocates hope to have more options for children with behavioural problems, including help at home and independent monitors, to make sure the state doesn't just leave kids in hospital rooms.
Published : 11 months ago by WEBDESK in Health
baltimore — A new lawsuit focuses on a crisis involving several children in Maryland.
Disability rights advocates are suing the state, saying children with behavioral health problems are being held up in hospitals and emergency rooms and state officials aren’t doing enough to address the problem.
WJZ’s Mike Helgren has more on the legal action taken by the nonprofit. Disability Rights Maryland.
“They’re not going to take care of kids who need intensive services that aren’t hospital-based,” said Leslie Seid Margolis, managing attorney and policy advisor for Disability Rights Maryland. “These are children who are taking up hospital beds that could be used by people who actually need to be in the hospital.”
The lawsuit alleges that the defendants, “who are all public officials and/or their predecessors, failed to plan for and provide … behavioral health services.”
Children are identified by their initials.
D.R., who has been hospitalized for over a year, was only allowed out for a short time in an area called “the cage” for foster care.
And AB, a 17-year-old boy with autism, spent time in the emergency room and was sent to a short-term psychiatric unit for more than six months. He died there.
“It’s really disturbing and hard to see because kids are in the hospital for weeks, sometimes months,” said Lucien Parsley, the legal director of Disability Rights Maryland. “Sometimes we have children in the hospital up to a year old. They’re not learning. They’re living in the hospital where they can’t go outside. They can’t get fresh air. They can.” They don’t communicate with their peers.”
CBS News recently focused on the crisis in children’s mental health across the country — the lack of programs and resources to help them — and some of the children it spoke to were directly affected.
In Maryland, advocates hope to have more options for children with behavioral problems, including help at home and independent monitors, to make sure the state doesn’t just leave kids in hospital rooms.
“I hope we can actually call the will of the decision makers in our state and fix this,” Said Margolis said.
suit First reported by WJZ’s news partners at The Baltimore Banner.
It is said that this problem affects more than 100 children every year, and Baltimore is not part of it, but all countries are included.
Topics: Lawsuits, Maryland