An investigation of an Arizona mental health clinic run by an Avon-based company shows the facility failed to properly document consent for medication, update patient assessments and develop patient-treatment plans, according to documents released by the Arizona Department of Health Services.
The Maricopa Clinic-West Camelback, operated by state mental health contractor Magellan Health Services of Avon, was investigated three days after a man attacked two young cousins with a baseball bat.
On Dec. 23, Edwin Anthony Pellecier Jr., 10, and his cousin Jesse Michael Casillas Ramirez Jr., 7, were bludgeoned at a park in southwest Phoenix. The boys died Dec. 26 from their injuries.
Police arrested Joe Sauceda Gallegos, 36, who was living near the park.
Gallegos was indicted on first-degree murder and child-abuse charges.
State health officials could not confirm whether Gallegos was being treated at Maricopa Clinic-West Camelback for mental health issues because of patient-confidentiality laws, health department spokeswoman Laura Oxley said.
However, initial police statements indicate that on July 11, Gallegos was treated by EMPACT, a mobile crisis response team that contracts with Magellan Health Services under a $680 million state contract.
According Department of Health Services documents, the clinic, which sees about 1,200 patients – many court-ordered – exceeded required caseloads.
Magellan spokesman Greg Taylor said he was unprepared to comment late Monday.
Alan Oppenheim, deputy assistant director of licensing services for the state, said that it’s a concern when assessments aren’t performed in a timely manner.
“How else is the licensee going to know what issues are at stake with that client? And how can they set a treatment course for those individual clients?” he said. “If those aren’t timely, if they’re not complete, if they’re not even done, that sets up some pretty big concerns.”
A state health department enforcement team will decide if the clinic will face a penalty, which could range from civil fines to more frequent clinic surveys, officials said. (AP)
