SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio center offering treatment for adults and children with mental health and addiction issues has been having some problems of its own.
Laurel Ridge Treatment Center has made headlines in the past, particularly after the arrest of its former CEO, Jacob Cuellar, in connection with a child sex assault case.
RELATED ON KSAT.COM: Ex-Laurel Ridge Treatment Center CEO faces 6 child sex charges in North Carolina, records indicate
Now the facility, located near Loop 1604 and Redland Road, has come under the microscope of state investigators who found a long list of violations this summer.
The 50-page document that KSAT 12 News obtained from the Department of Health and Human Services details items which it says, “posed immediate danger to patient health and safety.”
The report stated that Laurel Ridge was out of compliance due to a shortage of nurses, which caused patients to wait four to six hours to get checked in. The facility often takes in patients who are in the midst of mental health crises.
It also noted that a patient was observed in August harming herself with razor blades she had smuggled into the facility. The report said the patient was able to use them to cut herself on two different occasions.
Additionally, the report noted that patients had easy access to a nurse station where there several dangerous items within their reach.
Among other things, the report listed paper clips, staples and pens that could be used to cause injuries; a cell phone charging cable and landline cord that could be used as ligatures; and a cigarette lighter and spray can of chemicals that together could be used to make a blow torch and start a fire.
One woman who arrived Tuesday morning to drop off clothing for a loved one told KSAT 12 News she is not surprised by the findings.
“They’re short staffed,” she said. “They’re not doing their due diligence in checking what comes in.”
The woman, who wanted to remain anonymous, said her loved one had spent time at Laurel Ridge on multiple occasions.
“I’m concerned about everybody there, not just my loved one,” she said.
Tracie Brown, though, said her experience with the center has been just the opposite, a caring and safe environment.
“I have a different perspective, a more positive perspective, because they helped me,” she said.
Brown showed up at the center one day after her release to drop off shoes and clothing for other patients. She said her experience with Laurel Ridge was so positive that she wanted to give back.
During her stay at the facility, Brown said she noticed extra care was being taken to protect the safety of patients.
“You can’t have anything like this in there. They will take the string out,” she said, pointing to the drawstring on her pants. “Your shoes can’t have shoestrings.”
The state report mentioned that, on a follow-up visit at the end of September, investigators noted that most of the issues of concern had been addressed.
Laurel Ridge’s current CEO, Ashley Sacriste, also sent a written statement which said, in part, that her staff immediately instituted a “corrective action plan.”
The full statement is below:
“Laurel Ridge Treatment Center takes pride in providing high-quality, compassionate care to patients who come through our doors, and we take all feedback as an opportunity to improve. If an issue arises, our new leadership team quickly reviews the situation, implements positive changes and takes actions that help prevent issues from occurring in the future.
“Following the recent survey, we immediately implemented our corrective action plan – with all items having since been addressed and corrected.
“In the last year, we have improved engagement, made a number of positive changes, and are proud to have increased our quality and patient satisfaction scores. We completed significant renovations across eight units, and most recently, we received an A+ rating from the state on our kitchens. Our highest priority at Laurel Ridge Treatment Center is, and will continue to be, the health and safety of our patients.”
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