[1/2](Marco Godoy) Atascadero patient describes abuse and fear at State Hospital – (030620)

DSH-Atascadero this is interview 1 of 2, with Marco Godoy, a California Department of Corrections state prisoner, who was sent to the California Department of State Hospitals to be stabilized for serious mental illness (as a Penal Code 2684 commitment) for approximately 6-12 months. Instead of a therapeutic environment, Marco describes a place where patients are informed, or aware, that if they make any complaints about hospital conditions, or exercise any of their rights, they will be punished and sent back to prison. In short, patients who complaints about hospital conditions will be denied the mental health treatment, they were sent to Atascadero to receive. Marco has personally observed patients being sent back for having problems with a staff member, A psychiatrist technician that works in the med room. He describes that prior to the COVID-19 lockdown, he met with several of the approximately 400 of the PC 2684 patient population on the yard at night and describes a uniform fear among them of being sent back to prison because Treatment Teams rarely give them any feedback on their progress in treatment. Marco further described that many low-functioning patients are ignored by staff, sleep all day, and do not shower. In addition, he has seen staff encourage patients, or watch patients, clean up these low-functioning patients when they defecate on themselves. Finally, Marco describes that handicap patients in wheelchairs must fend for themselves as staff refuses to push them down Atascaderos long hallway; wheelchair patients must rely on other patients to get around.