State hospital lawsuit imminent, senator says

A class-action lawsuit is being drawn up on behalf of injured psychiatric workers at the State Hospital in Kane­ohe amid allegations of nepotism and numerous assaults against employees, state Sen. Clayton Hee said Wednesday.

Hee, who has been among those leading an investigation into the allegations, said the lawsuit is imminent and he’s not surprised by the pending legal action, because a number of workers came forward after six employees complained of injuries.

The hospital is run by the state Department of Health.

Hee and his staff toured the hospital Wednesday to gather more information as his Senate Special Investigative Committee prepares to hold a meeting on July 18 — one of several that have taken place this year.

News of the pending suit comes days after William Elliot, acting administrator of the hospital, announced plans to retire.

Colorado hospital administrator William May has been appointed to replace him. May has been superintendent of the Colorado Mental Health Institute, a 451-bed psychiatric hospital in Pueblo that provides services to civil and court-referred patients.

Hee said he’s found evidence of nepotism among a couple of hospital officials and will be turning over information related to the committee’s investigation to the state Ethics Commission, once the committee’s probe is complete.

He said an assault occurs every three days at the facility.

He also said the hospital was built to serve 170 patients but has 202 patients, not including about 40 patients at Kahi Mohala Behavioral Health in Ewa Beach.

"This facility is not properly built to house this number of patients," he said by telephone Wednesday.

Hee said the facilities also were not designed to treat patients referred by the criminal justice system.

State Health Director Dr. Linda Rosen said Wednesday that the state is looking at designing new facilities but she doesn’t know whether all of the current facilities will be replaced.