BRIDGEWATER, MASS. (WHDH) - Gov. Charlie Baker unveiled a new plan Tuesday to revamp Bridgewater State Hospital.
Baker said he wants to move away from the hospital’s traditional prison model and use a more clinical approach.
Lori Duncan, the sister of a patient at Bridgewater State Hospital, spoke at Tuesday’s hearing. Duncan’s 45-year-old brother was committed to the hospital in January because of mental health problems. Currently, the mentally ill patients are mixed in with other mentally ill patients who are also inmates convicted of serious crimes like murder and rape.
“He’s had, I believe, more harm than help while in care of the state,” said Duncan. “He was beaten several times by other inmates that the faculty, I believe, knew about and was well-aware of the threats against him.”
Baker’s plan would include moving convicted patients to the nearby Old Colony Correctional Facility. It would also remove corrections officers from Bridgewater State Hospital and replace them with medical mental health professionals.
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