Residential treatment centers serve vulnerable populations in different communities across the United States. These inpatient and outpatient facilities often help those facing mental health issues, addiction, or behavioral challenges.
Staff at these facilities are tasked with providing safe environments that include quality care services and adherence to professional standards. Failing to meet this expectation could place patients in danger of negligence, abuse, malpractice, or even sexual abuse.
Under state and federal laws, patients in residential treatment centers have certain rights, including the right to quality care, the right to maintain dignity, and the right to be protected from harm.
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A Michigan residential treatment center abuse attorney from Injury Lawyer Team can help victims of abuse or negligence and their families seek compensation for their suffering. Together, we can pursue justice and hold the at-fault party accountable for negligence or abuse.
About Henry Ford Kingswood Hospital
Henry Ford Kingswood Hospital provides comprehensive psychiatric care and mental health treatment for children, adolescents, and adults in a secure therapeutic environment. Here’s the Henry Ford Kingswood Hospital profile:
Overview
Henry Ford Kingswood Hospital is a residential treatment center in Ferndale, Michigan. It has 100 licensed beds and is located at 10300 W 8 Mile Road, Ferndale, MI 48220.
Henry Ford Kingswood Hospital provides a full spectrum of services for those with mental health challenges, including anxiety, bipolar disorder, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, suicidal thoughts, and substance use. Henry Ford Kingswood Hospital has been serving children, teens, and adults for over 40 years.
Ownership and Affiliations
The legal business name for this facility is Henry Ford Health Kingswood Hospital. It belongs to the Michigan-based parent company Henry Ford Health System, which manages 550 healthcare facilities across the state, including behavioral health centers, hospitals, urgent care centers, and emergency rooms.
Notable Legal Actions Against Henry Ford Kingswood Hospital
Henry Ford Kingswood Hospital is responsible for upholding patient rights. When those rights are violated, and patients are subjected to abuse, negligence, or other forms of harm, the facility and its staff are often held responsible.
There are numerous instances of abuse or neglect occurring at Henry Ford Kingswood Hospital, some of which have led to lawsuits against the facility. Here are some notable legal issues that have affected children, teens, and adults at this hospital on West Eight Mile Road.
Young Male Patient Sexually Assaulted By Roommate at Henry Ford Kingswood Hospital
The victim in question was an 11-year-old boy named Dayton Ackley. The lawsuit was filed by his friend, Rick Ackley. When Dayton was 11, he was admitted to Henry Ford Kingswood Hospital.
After two days, his roommate, another minor named Braylon Banks, threatened to assault him sexually. Ackley reported this threat to the hospital staff and was promised to be moved. However, Banks carried out his threat later that day.
Filed with the help of Michigan sexual abuse lawyers, the lawsuit claims that the hospital staff tampered with evidence before an investigation could be conducted.
In the claim, the plaintiff attempts to charge Banks with assault and battery and Henry Ford Kingswood Hospital with ordinary negligence for failing to protect Ackley from sexual assault after the threat had been reported [1].
State Review Reveals Alarming Rate of Abuse Allegations at Henry Ford Kingswood Hospital
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services compiled a statistical analysis of abuse and neglect in healthcare facilities across the state. While many facilities were included in the report, the numbers for Henry Ford Kingswood Hospital were troubling.
From October 1, 2019, to March 30, 2020, there were 3,556 admissions to this facility. During this time, 257 allegations of abuse or neglect were reported. Thirty-two investigations revealed 11 substantiated allegations. However, 255 interventions were made to address these issues.
The types of violations reported in this study include abuse, medical negligence, and sexual abuse. The numbers reflect a troubling reality in Henry Ford Kingswood Hospital and other Michigan facilities: patients are not always protected from abuse and neglect by the staff [2].
Henry Ford Health Pays Settlement Due to Not Providing Quality Service For Deaf Patient
A deaf male patient and his two sisters spent time at Henry Ford Kingswood Hospital. The facility did not provide a sign language interpreter, so the patient and his family could not adequately communicate with the hospital staff. As a result, the patient filed a complaint with the government, citing the Americans with Disabilities Act.
After an investigation, it was determined that the Henry Ford Health System was not providing adequate auxiliaries and aids for deaf or hard-of-hearing patients. The parent company paid a settlement of $70,000 and was forced to change its policies for patient services [3].
Inspection and Deficiency Reports at Henry Ford Kingswood Hospital
Residential treatment centers across the country are regularly inspected for deficiencies. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services provides the public with information from these inspections, allowing them to analyze which facilities are more effective.
Henry Ford Kingswood Hospital has had its fair share of deficiencies from recent inspections. Here are some weaknesses discovered in recent years, especially compared to state or national averages.
- Only 51% of patients with alcohol use disorders received a brief intervention during their inpatient stay, compared to the national average of 77%.
- Only 40% of patients who screened positive for an alcohol or drug use disorder either received medication for treatment or a referral for addiction recovery upon discharge, compared to the national average of 61%.
- Only 48% of patients who use tobacco received or refused medication to help them quit and received or refused counseling to help them quit, compared to the national average of 71%.
- Patients spent .22 hours in seclusion per 1,000 hours of patient care, compared to the state average of .12 hours.
- 20.6% of patients were readmitted to a hospital within 30 days of leaving the residential treatment center, compared to the national average of 19.6% [4].
Understanding Your Rights
Every patient has rights protected by state and federal laws when they stay in a residential treatment center. Whether your right to quality care, dignity, or protection from harm is violated,
Injury Lawyer Team can help you hold the at-fault party responsible. Together, we will pursue compensation for legal damages like lost income, medical bills, future medical expenses, emotional distress, pain and suffering, or loss of enjoyment of life.
In Michigan, you have a set amount of time to file your claim due to the statute of limitations. For sexual abuse cases involving criminal conduct, you have up to seven years after you realize you were sexually abused to file the claim. For personal injury, you have three years. Medical malpractice claims have a shorter time frame of two years.
Hiring an experienced residential treatment facility abuse attorney is key to succeeding with your lawsuit. You should find an attorney who has worked on cases similar to yours.
For example, if you suffered sexual abuse at Henry Ford Kingswood Hospital, you should work with a legal team with experience in this subject. The same goes for surgical errors, medication mistakes, and medical negligence.
Secure Expert Legal Representation!
The residential treatment center on West Eight Mile Road has not upheld professional standards for every patient. If you suffer abuse, negligence, or harm at Henry Ford Kingswood Hospital, you can hold them accountable while pursuing compensation. Injury Lawyer Team is ready to help.
We offer a free consultation, during which you can ask questions about your case and learn more about the legal process. An experienced attorney will provide all the answers you need before making a decision.
Our team also works on a contingency fee agreement with our clients, which means you won’t have to pay any legal fees upfront for our services. Instead, your lawyer will only receive payment if they recover a settlement on your behalf. This arrangement minimizes the financial burden on clients who are already suffering because of their abuse or negligence experience.
If you would like to speak with a professional attorney at Injury Lawyer Team, call 866-757-6452 or complete the online form to request a free consultation today
References: [1] Casetext, [2] Michigan.gov, [3] New Haven Register, [4] CMS
All content undergoes thorough legal review by experienced attorneys, including Jonathan Rosenfeld. With 25 years of experience in personal injury law and over 100 years of combined legal expertise within our team, we ensure that every article is legally accurate, compliant, and reflects current legal standards.
