From the Salem Statesman Journal, April 2, 2010

Oregon State Hospital Superintendent Roy Orr has resigned, officials from the Department of Human Services announced today.

Deputy hospital Superintendent Nena Strickland was named interim superintendent effective today, DHS Director Bruce Goldberg said in a news release.

The announcement came as the state released a report that concluded the hospital failed to provide adequate care and treatment for a patient who died at the Salem psychiatric facility in October.

An investigation into the death of Moises Perez by the state Office of Investigations and Training concluded that while it was inconclusive as to whether he was neglected on the day of his death, his overall hospital care was negligent.

Orr had been the hospital’s chief for two years.

“Over the past two years there have been many improvements at Oregon State Hospital,” Goldberg said. “Things are better than they were, but they must be even better in the future. It’s time for the next step forward to create the culture of care and the expectation of excellence for mental and physical health treatment and recovery that we all expect for ourselves and our families.”

READ – Oregon State Hospital leader resigns; state releases report on patient’s death, Oregonian, April 2, 2010
READ – Statement Prepared for DHS chief Bruce Goldberg about resignation of Roy Orr (DOC)
READ – Oregon Investigations and Training Division, report from March 18, 2010 about the death of Moises Perez (PDF)
READ – Letter from Richard Harris, chief of the Mental Health and Addictions Division, about the death of Moises Perez, and steps to amend.
READ – Email from Bruce Goldberg to OSH community, April 2, 2010
READ – Email of miscellaneous comments from state senate president Peter Courtney, April 2, 2010