DRUG USE RAMPANT AT ANOKA HOSPITAL

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- A federal investigation has found an Anoka hospital
negligent in the death of a patient who died of an overdose in May.

The Anoka-Metro Regional Treatment Center also failed to protect vulnerable
patients from widespread illicit drug use in the hospital, according to
federal report made public Wednesday.

Health regulators also documented sexual improprieties among patients,
including reports that some patients sold sexual favors to other patients
for money and candy bars.

The state-owned hospital is a last resort for severely addicted and
mentally ill patients. It must take action to correct the problems by Oct.
12 or face loss of Medicare funding.

It is the most severe penalty that the federal government can impose on a
hospital.

Anoka officials said that they don't dispute the findings and that they are
addressing the problems.

"Our objective is to create a drug-free environment," said Wes Kooistra,
acting deputing commissioner for the state Department of Human Services,
which operates the hospital.

The investigation was prompted by the May 13 death of Brandon Jarboe, 23, a
heroin addict who overdosed while a patient in the hospital.

His death laid bare long-held concerns about illicit drugs in the facility.

"This report is unbelievable," said Sue Abderholden, executive director of
the Minnesota chapter of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, an
advocacy group. "It's much worse than I thought."

The investigation found that Jarboe had been able to sneak drugs into the
facility on several occasions because he got passes to leave the hospital
even though he was clearly a suicide risk. He also spoke of his desire to
obtain drugs.

The report doesn't mention Brandon Jarboe by name, but family members
confirmed his identity.

The report also said that between January and July, there were 40 reports
of patients who were found with illicit drugs or drug paraphernalia.

In all, 16 staff members and six patients told investigators that drugs
were available for sale on the grounds.

One employee said the addiction treatment program at Anoka is an "open
pipeline through this place" for drugs, the report said.

Kooistra said that hospital administrators were aware of occasional illicit
drug use, but that the investigation showed it was more widespread than
they thought.

However, Kooistra added, staff members tried to find a balance between
protecting patients' privacy and ensuring their safety. The emphasis on
privacy protection resulted in fewer searches, he said. "This is not a
jail, it's a hospital," he said. "It's that balance ... that's difficult to
achieve."

As a result of the investigation, officials are increasing security,
Kooistra said.

The report also documented instances of patients who traded sexual favors
with other patients for money and candy, sexual harassment of female
patients by male patients, and one instance of a male patient who exposed
himself to a female patient and her mother.

When inappropriate sexual activity is discovered, it is always "dealt with
on a patient-by-patient basis," and that policy is not expected to change,
Kooistra said.

Roberta Opheim, the state's ombudsman for people with mental illnesses,
said she believes that hospital administrators are serious about making
changes to protect patients.

"But now we have to watch on how they follow through," she said.