Patients at Texas’ psychiatric hospitals face a grim reality, and an even grimmer future. Tales of abuse have been rampant across the state’s 10 mental hospitals, and as many as 70 employees have been fired in the last three years alone for abuse of mental patients. Apart from the ones who have had their services terminated, hundreds more have been suspended for abuse of patients. Many of the abuse cases are sexual in nature, while overmedication, restraining with padlocks and plain simple negligence are also widely reported.

According to an analysis by Dallas Morning News, abuse has even taken on the form of violence and beatings. One patient was manhandled by an employee, and dragged by his hair and feet. Another female patient was sexually abused by an employee.

The state’s mental hospitals, as well as the juvenile centers and disabled people’s homes, are all suffering from a malaise that covers all forms of neglect and abuse. As expected, there are plenty of fingers pointing in all directions, most notably the lack of funds. State run hospitals have suffered from chronic lack of funding, insiders say, resulting in the pathetic state of the hospitals. Sadly, the first persons who get dropped from the priority list when cash begins to get tight are the mental patients and the disabled, the most vulnerable of our society. It’s a cold reality.

The abuse at the state’s mental hospitals is even more disturbing than abuse of disabled persons or juveniles because these people very rarely have a strong support system of friends and family. They are usually not in very close contact with their family. Their mental status also makes it hard for them to remain on the radar of public consciousness. Their families have in many cases given up on them because of the chronic cycles of homelessness and incarceration that these people experience. Left to the mercy of the staff, many patients are coming to the stark realization that life within these walls is far from safe and comforting. It’s in many ways crueler than the realities outside.

Mental health advocates complain of the lack of funding. Over the past few years, at least $100 million in mental health funding has been cut in the state budget.

The parents of Jason Evans are looking for reasons for their son’s death, since lack of funding is a poor excuse. The 34-year-old bipolar disorder patient was found dead at a hospital a few days after he checked himself in. The cause of death is supposedly “natural,” but his parents suspect an intentional overdose on the part of the staff.

Lack of funding is a problem across health institutions in many parts of the country, but we cannot use that as an excuse to neglect and abuse mental patients. Because workers are over stressed or over burdened is no reason to take their frustrations out on helpless patients. Many of these incidents border on torture – one patient was hit on the head with a clipboard, and then kicked repeatedly. Another was tackled to the floor and had injuries to his face. We would cause a hue and cry over the treatment of animals in this fashion – it would be shameful if we maintained a frozen silence when human beings are treated this way.

If you have a loved one who has been the victim of abuse or neglect at an assisted living facility, you need the help of an experienced California personal injury attorney. Contact a lawyer at The Reeves Law Group for a free consultation.