OHA finds discharges of 17 mentally ill patients improper

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – The Oregon Health Authority has overturned a contractor’s decision to force 17 severely mentally ill patients out of state-funded residential facilities.

The Oregonian/OregonLive reported Friday that OHA had hired the contractor Kepro to review the cases of 1,600 patients in the facilities to determine if they all needed to be in residential care.

But after the newspaper reported late last year that at least three people suffered serious harm after discharge, the agency began taking action.

Disability Rights Oregon has also questioned the contractor’s decisions.

The Pennsylvania-based Kepro declined to address the reversals but told the newspaper it was hoping to amend its contract with Oregon to resolve some issues.

The state now has a team of three mental health experts reviewing Kepro’s decisions on patients.