What happens when a Michigan psychiatric patient reports abuse or neglect?

In September, a report from the Michigan’s Office of the Auditor General brought attention to concerns within the Office of Recipient Rights. The Office of Recipient Rights is the agency that handles complaints, violations, for the state’s five mental health hospitals. The audit found that protections for Michigan’s mental health patients were “insufficient.” Some of the problems reported in the audit were how violations were collected, the Office of Recipient Rights taking too long to respond to complaints, and concerns over conflicts of interest. This includes the Hawthorn Center, the state’s only psychiatric hospital for children.