Winnebago Mental Health Institute plagued by neglect

Patient and public safety is always paramount here Facility near Oshkosh had three patients die in two years The Associated Press Three patients died and another was raped among nearly three dozens acts of violence or sexual aggression at the state-run ... via Appleton Post-Crescent

[PTA]

Yes, it is extremely that these bias articles are published. Most of the employees at the institution really do care about the people they serve, and are far from the lazy, incompetent employees articles like the JS paints. Contrary to what was stated, the institute is still EXTREMELY understaffed, resulting to some employees putting in 70 hr weeks in an environment where alertness and the ability to make quick decisions to ensure safety are paramount. Instead of pointing fingers at the workers, look at the bigger problem, such as government and the state itself failing to provide enough workers at this facility. Sure they will claim there is not enough money to do so, but I think everyone deserves better and perhaps the politicians could quit lining their own pockets and do something about this!!!

[expatient]

f**k all of you who support that place, i was there for 128 days in sherman hall and its sick

[set back]

i agree 100% with you!!!i do know a few people that work there,and they bust there butts to keep that place going!

PTA wrote:

Yes, it is extremely that these bias articles are published. Most of the employees at the institution really do care about the people they serve, and are far from the lazy, incompetent employees articles like the JS paints. Contrary to what was stated, the institute is still EXTREMELY understaffed, resulting to some employees putting in 70 hr weeks in an environment where alertness and the ability to make quick decisions to ensure safety are paramount. Instead of pointing fingers at the workers, look at the bigger problem, such as government and the state itself failing to provide enough workers at this facility. Sure they will claim there is not enough money to do so, but I think everyone deserves better and perhaps the politicians could quit lining their own pockets and do something about this!!!

[set back]

and as for you,you should have never ended up there.Then you wouldnt be on here complaining!if that place is so bad,than why dont you get a job there and make a difference!!!!

expatient wrote:

f**k all of you who support that place, i was there for 128 days in sherman hall and its sick

[Tomas]

I see in these comments,bias,condemnation,fac ts and frustration.
I'm sure all these comments are accurate.
The original articale that was in the newspaper was at the least disturbing.
For what ever the reason a person is there for at the Winnebago Mental Institute, that person being treated should be treated with professional care and person dignity.
I'm convienced that there are many good staff there, and probably they are really over worked.
However, such is life that in any field of work or business there are now and always will be individuals who work in places like Winnebago that have in their charactor evil, and not just at work, but probably in their home life as well.
These unprofessional people that caused these terrible things to patients at Winnebago are in reality far more in need of psychosocial treatment than the patients that they were their to help.
All this said,what is the answer to this tragedy?
Do any of you have solutions?
Mental health illnesses are not a joke.

Tomas

[bjk]

You are right...mental health is no joke.
I believe that US mental state is in crisis. One only has to look at the V Tech shootings to know that the world is very sick. This sick boy went for years...people noticed he wasn't well, but nothing was ever done.

We have a problem, though, with our universities. They really do not want to graduate too many doctors, and the ones that the do graduate aren't very good. The grads are really only in it for the dough. I know several people that the UW system just turned away because the quota for woman in the med school was met already. The woman had straight A's all through undergrad!
The universities just wanted these woman to go into nurse practicioner and mid-wife. Gotta keep the public in demand for the money, you know.

So when it comes to mental health professionals, there aren't too many, but the ones that there are make the bucks big time.
70 hours ....30 hours of overtime isn't nothing to cry about. You'd really be screaming if there were adequate numbers of workers and were not getting your mega bucks.

[mrn]

I would sure like to know more about this Winnebago Mental Hospital. My niece was the one who died there, and believe me, the facts are all messed up!! She did NOT go there after a drug overdose....she HATED drugs...wouldnt take anything! She had post partum psycosis after having her second baby. She had an episode at her home and the police came and took her there. Days later she was found dead in the bath tub...suicide??? You have GOT to be kidding... as it looks to me, something else happened there. Who commits suicide by drowing in a bath tub?? Get real and get the facts and stop keeping the truth from everyone. I pray that the truth comes out and those responsible will be found out.

[nadia]

I agree that there is many individuals that take a position that don`t have the patience and understanding to work in the medical field. I used to work as a cna and I have seen how this individuals would treat the patient. Their were times I would argue iether with the nurse or the doctor for being so rude to the patient. I am a person that does not care if you have a higher degree or master`s, I would challenge the individual`s actions. They don`t understand, but they are fast to judge. I know that we all have time of trouble, but we need not to judge because of the past or present. Many just need a place to recover others are not heard because they don`t have a voice. Others just don`t have no choice because the system takes away the rights to choose their outcome.

[grphomewrker]

These kids are the most difficult in the state, in many ways. The staff that work there face not only extreme aggression, but have to find a way to make the person better and return the person to a less restrictive placement (family or group home). Think about it...you work in an extreme environment, getting hit, bit, urinated on, BM thrown on you,(and the list goes on) and a coworker is fired/prosecuted for a serious offense. Now, not only do you face a more difficult job than most can imagine, but dealing with the aftermath of assisting a traumatized client, plus a nice article like this slamming every good but harrowing thing your team of coworkers do. Real nice. Not to mention, where's the article of the hundreds of workman's comp injuries sustained by the staff that take on this difficult role?

[mje]

I was in Gemini just recently. hated the place.

[mje]

the doctors r useless. took me off opiates which i needed for pain--for real. major W/D. now im out and back on them. great place! the staff are actually very nice and pt up with a lot of shit... the social workers n drug counselors know their shit. very clever people. the doctors i saw tho were shit. unbelievable. far too uch violence there. didnt feel safe around the girls so i hung w/ the guys most of the time. i was there cuz i missed an apt with my counsellor! what a joke.
was caught smokin and with my own prescriptions so thats why i think i was thrown out. i have no addiction, anyway. others beg to differ. anyway, came across this website out of curiosity! was shocked to learn of the deatsh!!! must inform former peers currently there!:)

[pll]

mje wrote:

the doctors r useless. took me off opiates which i needed for pain--for real. major W/D. now im out and back on them. great place! the staff are actually very nice and pt up with a lot of shit... the social workers n drug counselors know their shit. very clever people. the doctors i saw tho were shit. unbelievable. far too uch violence there. didnt feel safe around the girls so i hung w/ the guys most of the time. i was there cuz i missed an apt with my counsellor! what a joke.
was caught smokin and with my own prescriptions so thats why i think i was thrown out. i have no addiction, anyway. others beg to differ. anyway, came across this website out of curiosity! was shocked to learn of the deatsh!!! must inform former peers currently there!:)

My sister is being transfered to this facility and i am just trying to find out what kind of a place this is.......... will she get help.. she desperately needs help with the addictions that are destroying her life and the person she is,,,,,,,,,,

[ExWorker]

There are some very good, compassionate people that work in that facility. There also are a few bad seeds. At any rate, the plac is horribly run, excessive hours leading to burnout, and no, contrary to what previous posters have stated, workers are not paid huge wages. $12 an hour to start and get you life threatned on a daily basis, assaulted and treated like crap from the mgt too... The place needs an enema. I do feel sorry for some patients who have to live in that cess pool

[Wisconsin Person]

This is such an old article! Move on people.

[April]

I also work as a CNA and that is the worst facility and treat thier pactients and familes likes SHIT THAT PLACE IS CRAP

[April]

pll wrote:

<quoted text>My sister is being transfered to this facility and i am just trying to find out what kind of a place this is.......... will she get help.. she desperately needs help with the addictions that are destroying her life and the person she is,,,,,,,,,,

that place will not help her my bro is going through the same thing..its makes it worse

[Tia]

all of you complaining come on. I worked there for 3 years as a LTE. The people who were there for help were there for a reason. Just plain and simple. Think of all the workers there who put their life on the line with all of these mentally sick patients. Maybe there was no other course they had to take and hit rock bottom I can asure you that they come out alot better person then when they were placed there. (Guaranteed)

[Don]

I was a patient there last year.{2008} Not a place anyone WANTS to be, but I think it is very well run. Drs were great. Social workers too. The staff almost without exception are dedicated, and hard working. Let's face it, how many of us would really want the job? It's no walk in the park. There are all kinds of people to deal with. Some people seem fine one minute, and then for no apparent reason will turn VERY violent. I am almost 60, so maybe I look at things a little differently than the younger ones. I was there for 4 months. A long time to me, but some spend YEARS there because they are just too much of a danger to let out. We don't spend too much on mental health treatment. We spend way to little.

[Mother of One]

Please be careful of what you say. Reading this threat was like taking a shot form a shot gun to my heart. I have someone whom I love more than myself, in this place. We do need to help our Mentally Ill family members. Some people have no choice but to rely on these people to help our loved ones. All I can do is pray they are caring and understanding to my person there. You really have to have a passion for this work, so be compationate when doing your job.