Michigan Senator Urges Action For Children’s Mental Health Hospital

News Summary

Senator Michael Webber is calling for improvements at the Hawthorn Center, Michigan’s only children’s mental health facility, following alarming findings about its management and safety practices. Issues such as patient escapes, a controversial active shooter drill, violent incidents, and complaints backlog have raised significant concerns among families and advocates. Senator Webber is advocating for better education on patient rights and changes in oversight to ensure accountability and improved care for vulnerable children.

Michigan Senator Urges Action For Children’s Mental Health Hospital

In a growing concern for the mental health of children, Michigan state lawmaker Sen. Michael Webber is stepping up to demand changes at the Hawthorn Center, the state’s only hospital dedicated to children needing mental health care. This comes after a whirlwind of alarming findings surrounding the facility’s management that have caught the attention of many.

Addressing The Issues

On March 27, 2025, Senator Webber fired off a letter to Elizabeth Hertel, the director of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), expressing serious worries about the level of care the children are receiving. He highlighted various troubling incidents at the Hawthorn Center, which has been under investigation for quite some time now.

Some of the major problems include:

• Patient escapes, which brought up serious questions about the facility’s security practices.
• An unannounced active shooter drill that traumatized not just the patients, but the staff as well. This drill, held in December 2022, stirred up nationwide headlines as a panic ensued, necessitating real police responses.
• Violent attacks reported within the hospital have raised further concerns about safety.
settled lawsuits against the MDHHS that underline the pressure being felt against the backdrop of these incidents.
• Serious issues with nutrition for the patients have surfaced, highlighting that basic needs might not be met adequately.
• A troubling backlog of unanswered recipient rights complaints has left families in limbo, waiting months for responses.

A Look Back on Recent Events

Local investigators have been sounding the alarm on the Hawthorn Center’s issues for over two years now. The fiasco surrounding the active shooter drill led to significant fallout, with the Michigan Court of Claims approving a hefty $13 million class action settlement for impacted patients and staff. Many believe this financial compensation underscores the emotional trauma inflicted on children during the botched drill.

Amid ongoing renovations, many children are temporarily relocated to the Walter Reuther Psychiatric Hospital in Westland. However, there are still whispers of concern regarding how they are treated in this new environment, compounding the worries of families who just want a safe place for their children.

Delay in Audit Criticized

One of the most pressing concerns is how long it’s taking to complete an audit of the Hawthorn Center, which was started back in June of 2024. Initially expected to conclude by early 2025, the audit’s completion date has now drifted into summer 2025. Critics like Senator Webber are voicing frustration over what they see as unacceptable delays.

He’s not just stopping there, though. Webber is advocating for new legislation aimed at ensuring that patients are better educated about their rights in mental health facilities. He also wants changes to the oversight board, with new members who can take patients’ complaints seriously.

The Need for Accountability

The situation has become a case study in accountability—or the lack thereof. Calls for resolving the backlog of recipient rights complaints are growing louder. Some families have been left waiting for any word for months, adding to their overall stress. Additionally, there’s been chatter about malfunctioning surveillance cameras, raising even more red flags about overall safety.

Despite the fallout from the active shooter drill and the significant financial settlements, many still feel there has been a lack of accountability from state administration. A spokesperson for MDHHS expressed regret about the adverse effects of the drill while acknowledging a need for improved communication and better safety protocols.

As the Hawthorn Center continues to face scrutiny from various fronts, it remains crucial that the concerns of families and patients are genuinely addressed. Michigan’s children deserve a supportive, safe, and nurturing environment to get the help they need.

Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic

• ClickOnDetroit: Concerns Persist for Michigan Psych Hospital for Kids
• Michigan Senate GOP: Webber Presses MDHHS for Answers on Youth Psychiatric Care
• Detroit News: MDHHS to Pay $13M in Settlement
• HealthExec: Active Shooter Drill Results in $13M Victims
• MLive: State Watchdog Begins Audit Amid Youth Psychiatric Center Concerns
• Wikipedia: Mental Health in the United States
• Google Search: Youth Psychiatric Care Michigan
• Encyclopedia Britannica: Mental Health
• Google Scholar: Youth Mental Health Care
• Google News: Youth Psychiatric Hospital Issues