A new investigation from Washingtonian magazine examines the wave of allegations involving the Psychiatric Institute of Washington, the only dedicated psychiatric hospital in Washington, D.C.
Former patients and staff describe not receiving enough food and the hospital operating with too few workers. Others allege staff routinely use chemical restraints to subdue patients, even though doctors say those measures should be used rarely. There have also been reported incidents of sexual assault inside the facility.
As the only psychiatric hospital in the city, PIW plays a central role in the District’s mental health system. Around 60% of individuals who are involuntarily committed by the city for psychiatric care are sent to PIW, including people with severe mental illness and others experiencing acute crises linked to drug use…