March 7, 2003
MICHELLE ROBERTS and LES ZAITZ
State officials are investigating whether a patient who shot himself to
death Wednesday at Salem Hospital Psychiatric Medicine Center was distraught
over losing his mental health medication benefits.
Michael R. Shay, 37, of Salem shot himself in his room two days after he
voluntarily checked into the psychiatric center, which is three blocks from
the main Salem Hospital complex.
Hospital officials said they think Shay sneaked a handgun into the 24-bed
facility after one of the center's social workers helped him move his car to
a closer parking lot.
The Office of Investigations and Training, an arm of the Department of Human
Services, is investigating Shay's death as well as whether his loss of
mental health benefits played a role, said Eva Kutas, who heads the
office.
Officials said Shay first sought help Monday night at the Marion County
Psychiatric Crisis Center, which in turn contacted the hospital to arrange
his voluntary admission.
Jeffrey Davis, administrator of the Marion County Health Department, would
not discuss details of Shay's condition or treatment but said he "clearly
was dangerous to himself and had had several hospitalizations" in
recent years.
Psychiatric center officials said Thursday they were looking into the
possibility that Shay was upset about losing his state-paid medication
benefits.
"We were told that he stopped taking medicines because they were no longer
reimbursed," said Tim Murphy, the hospital's administrative director of
psychiatric services.
Contacted at her home in Salem, Shay's mother declined to comment about her
son's death.
Shay enrolled in a limited state-paid prescription program in January but
did not renew it in February, state officials said. At the end of that
month, the program was eliminated as part of wide-ranging budget cuts that
have left tens of thousands of mentally ill Oregonians without antipsychotic
medications, counseling or residential treatment.
In the past two months, human services officials have investigated five
suicides of community mental health clients thought to be linked to
statewide service cuts. The possibility was ruled out in two of the deaths,
but three others, including Shay's, remain under investigation.
After determining that Shay was a danger to himself Monday, a county worker
walked him to the psychiatric hospital from the nearby crisis center.
Shay, who state records show was a licensed practical nurse until the late
1990s, was admitted at 10:30 p.m. and evaluated by nurses, hospital
officials said. Employees searched his possessions and clothing; took his
wallet, keys and other personal items for safekeeping; and then placed him
in a private room next to the nursing station.
On Tuesday afternoon, after being evaluated by a doctor, Shay told hospital
staff he wanted to go to his car.
"He was concerned about where he left his car parked, which is just a couple
of doors down," said Dr. Maggie Bennington-Davis, medical director of the
psychiatric unit. "He was eager to get his car moved to our parking lot."
A unit social worker walked Shay to his car. They then drove the short
distance back to the psychiatric center, parked and got out. But Shay
"leaned back inside his car for just a few seconds," Murphy said.
Hospital officials said they think this is when Shay retrieved the gun, a
.25-caliber semiautomatic handgun with a fully loaded clip.
Shay and the social worker walked back into the psychiatric center, where
the worker checked in Shay's keys and wallet but did not search him again.
On Wednesday morning, Shay got up and had breakfast and, after visiting with
staffers, returned to his room and closed the door, officials said. Fifteen
minutes after their last regularly scheduled check of Shay, staffers
heard a loud noise from his room.
"They thought he might have fallen," Bennington-Davis said. But a doctor
quickly determined he had died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the
right temple.
Shay did not leave a note and had not been aggressive with the staff during
his stay, hospital officials said.
"We did not find (the gun) upon his initial admission," Murphy said. "He was
not searched when he re-entered the building because he had been with staff
the entire time."
The hospital refused to identify the social worker who had accompanied Shay
to his car.
No staff members were disciplined after Wednesday's shooting, but additional
security measures are likely once internal and state investigations are
completed, Bennington-Davis said.
The hospital is evaluating its security procedures. For the time being,
there will be no escorted trips away from the psychiatric unit, officals
said.
Shay's death is the second suicide since the psychiatric center opened in
1988. Four years ago, a patient hanged himself.
Michelle Roberts: 503-294-5041; michelleroberts@news.oregonian.com
Les Zaitz: 503-221-8181; leszaitz@news.oregonian.com
Produced by the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition, Box 25033, London ON N6C 6A8
Tel: 1-877-439-3348, Email: info@epcc.ca