LAKEWOOD, Wash. — A patient at the state’s largest psychiatric facility, Western State Hospital, was found unresponsive in his room early Sunday morning.
Soon after, the patient was pronounced dead and the patient’s roommate was unconscious as well.
A source with direct knowledge of the situation said the patient died of an overdose.
The source said staff gave both individuals CPR and Narcan, a drug used to reverse the effects of an acute opioid overdose. Only one patient responded to the life-saving measures and was transported to an area hospital.
According to the source, the patient who survived had been given a pass to leave the campus. Upon return, patients are supposed to be searched. It’s unclear if that happened, but hospital officials believe that’s when the drugs were smuggled inside the facility.
DSHS offered no other details, but issued a statement Monday afternoon.
"We are devastated by the loss of a patient and our hearts go out to their loved ones," said DSHS Behavioral Health Administration Assistant Secretary Sean Murphy in the statement.
Western State, located in Lakewood, is funded and operated by the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS). The hospital has been under fire since failing federal inspections in 2015.
In 2017, the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services de-certified the facility, and in turn, cut off $53 million a year in federal funding.
Western State remains de-certified.
It is equipped with more than 800 beds that serve adults with serious or long-term mental illness.
Most patients are referred to Western State in the civil court system or the criminal justice system.
Approximately 2,200 staff members work at the hospital.