Oregon State Hospital - Population and Administration

Population and Administration

About two-thirds of the hospital's patients were found guilty of crimes, but found to be insane. Others were determined to be a danger to themselves or to others. The current census of the state hospitals in Oregon (in Salem, Portland, and Pendleton) is typically close to 750 patients. The Oregon Department of Corrections also treats persons with mental illness and a 2004 report found that 1623 prisoners in the state prison facilities had serious and persistent mental illness.

In March 2005, the state closed the adolescent treatment ward of the Oregon State Hospital, which now provides services only to people over the age of 18. Deputy Hospital Superintendent Nena Strickland was named Interim Superintendent of Oregon State Hospital effective April 2, 2010. She succeeded Roy J. Orr, who resigned at the request of Richard Harris, Deputy Director of Addictions and Mental Health, following the release of a state report which concluded that the hospital failed to provide adequate care and treatment for a patient, Moises Perez, age 42, who died there in October 2009. Orr had been Superintendent since February 2008. Harris' current responsibility includes state hospitals in Salem, Portland and Pendleton; in addition to the staff who work with county governments to deliver statewide mental-health and addiction services. The previous state hospital administrator was Marvin Fickle from 2004–2008. Stan Mazur-Hart was administrator from 1991–2004.