Mason remains in the hospital…
KOMO News just published an article on their website about this situation. Read it Here.
KOMO’s Matt Markovich came out to Mason General Hospital (MGH) today to interview myself and Dean Gushee, the Chief Medical Officer of MGH. They plan to air a segment tonight at 4:30 pm and again at 6:00 pm. If you don’t have access to a television, you can watch it Online. Please pass this on to everyone you connect with!
I was interviewed by KUOW, the Seattle NPR affiliate as well as by The Kitsap Sun and an interview is scheduled for next week with KMAS. No stories have yet been published by these outlets but I am grateful for their interest in this story and willingness to pursue further background.
I have been pondering the efforts we have made in this case compared to the response that we have received from the state. It’s amazing that one must go to these lengths to get satisfaction. I use the word “satisfaction” with only minimal hope as we approach the weekend and another holiday. I could foresee Mason being here for another week.
I have also been thinking about several analogies that could be made relative to this issue. Mason General Hospital has plenty of food, heat, water, cable, telephone service. Would anyone consider it appropriate to bring a person to the hospital because they were hungry or because their heat got cut off? Clearly ridiculous, right? These services are well outside the purview of an Acute Care Hospital. I think any of us could come up with any number of services that a hospital could provide that any rational person would consider an unreasonable expectation. We have been told that if we were to discharge Mason and bring him to a DDA office that this would be considered an unsafe discharge because he’s unable to care for himself. Could the same be said of someone who was discharged without his future need for food being provide for by the hospital? Clearly not. There are services that are tasked to provide for these needs. Currently Mason is being provided a climate-controlled room, food, TV etc. The glaring omission? Medical care. This is the one service that we are tasked to provide and the only one that Mason doesn’t need right now. I was also told today that beyond the stay in the Emergency Department none of the costs incurred by MGH and, by extension, the citizens of Mason County, would not be reimbursed. It looks like the hospital and staff have something in common…abandonment by DSHS/DDA.
Stuck in the Hospital 
OMGOSH! I dealt with the Shelton office and incompetent is an understatement! Everything they say that parents or fosters cant do, they themselves have done and worse to that poor boy! He doesn’t understand why his foster home doesn’t want him anymore and the very office, DDA and his case manager failed him! They know a year in advance to plan on what to do and where to house their clients! Age 18 and Age 21 a lot goes into planning on the continued care for these clients. I’m surprised that hospital lawyers didn’t threaten a lawsuit against DSHS for using the hospital as free daycare!
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I’m sorry that you think the motivation for this was to get on TV. As I replied to you personally, I’m happy to speak with you by phone any time to get your perspective.
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You should suggest they contact the case management and social work departments of other hospitals to get information about similar experiences. It happens often.
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Besides Mason General Hospital, the county jail has the same problem. Inmates that do not belong there, are taking up space that should be given to criminals, but cannot be released for the safety of the community. These folks need treatment, not jail.
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I know this sounds silly and I think I should have mentioned it in other comments on other post you posted but I just thought about it but has you will need to deal with yet another agency and I am not sure if it is worth the effort. Have you considered filing an Adult Protective Service (APS) report for neglect against DSHS and DDA? What about having one of the many social workers look into if it hasn’t already been considered. Another idea is to see what the hospital can do about getting Mason a guardian.
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Thanks, we did contact APS to no avail. We had not considered pursuing guardianship as he already had one but that might be the next step. Thanks.
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You’re welcome. The situation Mason is in sucks for everyone involved. I am glad Mason has the support of hospital staff but Mason deserves to have a home.
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