Northville Township, Michigan: High tensions have been raised after a whistleblower from the Hawthorn Center, a state-run hospital, brought to light concerning conditions within the facility. The whistleblower, a former special education teacher at the center, claims she has been targeted and harassed after revealing the conditions to protect the well-being of the children.
In a shocking revelation, the hospital which functions as a psychiatric facility primarily for children had allegedly been run similar to a correctional facility, with windows covered and children deprived of outdoor exposure for prolonged periods. The former teacher chose to speak out against these alleged malpractices to ensure the children were not subject to such extreme actions.
“These kids aren’t prisoners. They are here for health care. This isn’t supposed to be a correctional facility,” the whistleblower stated. Following her disclosures, she claims she was subjected to an investigation and harassed with serial conduct violations to the point where she resigned from her job
Notwithstanding the reported harassment, the whistleblower’s allegations did result in some changes. The center’s administration allegedly permitted children to go outside, following these revelations, and the windows were reportedly uncovered.
In a twist of events, the whistleblower claims the administration systematically harassed her using her job performance evaluations. “Before I exposed the conditions, my performance was highly rated. After the disclosure, I was inundated with negative remarks. It became unbearable,” she explained.
Support for the whistleblower’s actions has come in from various corners, including State Senator Michael Webber, who has expressed growing concerns over the Hawthorn Center. The Senator alleged that the internal mechanisms to protect the rights of the patients, especially children, are failing, a fact highlighted by the issues experienced by the whistleblower.
“Fear of retaliatory actions is preventing internal whistleblowers from sharing their side of the story, closing avenues for fact-finding and information,” Webber stated. An audit of the department is due to be completed in 2025, and, until then, concerns about patient care remain unaddressed.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services responded to these allegations with a statement affirming their commitment to providing a healthy, safe, and stable environment for all residents and ensuring a collaborative work environment where employees are treated with fairness and dignity.
