The head of the state Department of Behavioral Healthcare says changes are underway at Eleanor Slater Hospital. The state-run facility treats patients with long-term illness and psychiatric disorders. It has been under scrutiny for allegations of patient abuse and spiraling costs.
State Behavioral Healthcare Director Maria Montanaro says most of the hospital’s management is being replaced. And management consultants will be brought in immediately, “who can advise and direct us so that we don’t have to wait to start to make the improvements that are really vitally needed at the hospital,” said Montanaro, “which we expect will take six months before those positions are successfully filled with qualified candidates.”
Montanaro says she disapproves of the way the previous management handled allegations of abuse. And she says the leadership team lacked experience to steer the hospital out of a financial crisis.
(Note: Don’t miss our full interview with director Maria Montanaro on Morning Edition, Thursday, July 23.)
