Eastern State Hospital’s accreditation has been suspended after a patient strangled another patient last month.

The nation’s foremost medical accreditation organization, The Joint Commission, determined last week that the hospital for the mentally ill in Medical Lake allowed patients too much access to items that could be used for strangulation.

The hospital has since removed and secured the objects of concern and submitted a report back to the commission as part of an appeal to regain its accreditation, said Thomas Shapley, a spokesman for the state Department of Social and Health Services.

The commission’s report was the result of a regular review process, Shapley said, though the Nov. 20 homicide in Eastern’s forensic science unit, where the criminally insane are housed, was a factor.Jennifer Pignolet, SR

Do you believe the problems at Eastern State reflect a larger problem? Is the U.S. is facing a mental health care crisis?

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