State Human Rights Committee Hears Case of Virginia Citizen Held in Seclusion in Western State Hospital for Close to 20 Years

The appeal of C.C. by his attorneys of his seclusion/solitary confinement for close to 20 years in Western State Hospital. C.C. is a Spanish speaking immigrant but has not received treatment from a Spanish speaking psychiatrist ever at Western State and only for a period of months at another state hospital where he did well but was transferred back to Western State when the Spanish speaking psychiatrist left that hospital. He is fed through a hole in the door. He has had all his teeth removed but the hospital refuses to provide for dentures. He is allowed to go out on a regular basis with his family to stores etc. but then is put back in isolation immediately on his return to Western State. He is and has not received any meaningful treatment throughout his many years at Western State. The Western State Local Human Rights Committee determined his rights were violated but Western State is appealing that decision. They claim that locked seclusion with no meaningful treatment and no treatment in his native tongue is the least restrictive environment. Come out to support the dignity and human rights of every citizen in Virginia by supporting the right to dignity of C.C. No other state is known to have kept any human being in isolation in a psychiatric hospital as long as Western State has kept this man in isolation.

Agenda
STATE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE
DMHMRSAS
Region Ten CSB Administrative Offices
Large Conference Room
502 Old Lynchburg Road
Charlottesville, VA 22903
August 1, 2008
10:00 a.m. Special Meeting
Welcome / Call to Order
Variance
Western State Hospital
12 VAC 35-115-110, use of Seclusion, Restraint and Time Out
Appeal
Western State Hospital - CC v Jack Barber