Schizophrenia Daily News Blog

Los Angeles Hospital Patients Dumped on Skid Row

Highlighting the ongoing problems in healthcare coverage and treatment for the mentally ill in the USA - it was reported in the Los Angeles Times newspaper this week that the LA Police Department has opened its first criminal investigation into the dumping of homeless and mentally ill people on skid row after documenting five cases in which ambulances dropped off patients there Sunday. (Note: This problem seems to be common and was covered earlier this year - see a similar story in North Carolina here)

The LA Times reported that

"Police said the patients, who had been discharged from a Los Angeles hospital, told them they did not want to be taken downtown.

Los Angeles Police Department officials, who photographed and videotaped the five alleged dumping cases, called it a major break in their yearlong effort to reduce the number of people left on skid row by hospitals, police departments and other institutions.

Though police have documented other cases of hospitals dropping off recently discharged patients in the district, "this is the most blatant effort yet by a hospital to dump their patients on skid row against their will," LAPD Capt. Andrew Smith said.

Officials at Los Angeles Metropolitan Medical Center strongly denied that they had improperly handled the patients."

Read the full story here: Police allege 5 patients were dumped on skid row by hospital

Thanks Cannonier