SALEM – Rep. Bob Jenson (R-Pendleton) will help monitor the Oregon State Hospital as it rushes to improve its standard of care after a disastrous U.S. Department of Justice investigation of the psychiatric hospital.

A 48-page report revealed numerous civil rights violations, including life-threatening use of restraints, infection control issues, violence between residents and patients who injured themselves while in the care of staff members and a multitude of other concerns.

Jenson was named to an interim legislative oversight committee by House Speaker Jeff Merkley. The committee, the Interim Joint Committee on Oregon State Hospital Care, was recently established by Senate President Peter Courtney to monitor progress toward compliance with U.S. Department of Justice mandates for improvements. The mandates apply to both the dilapidated Oregon State Hospital in Salem and a smaller campus in Portland.

“Like other officials and interested parties who have reviewed the report by the U.S. Justice Department on the deficiencies at the Oregon State Hospitals, I am appalled by the findings,” Jenson said. “We need to be fully aware of all the shortcomings at the state hospitals and keep close tabs to ensure that improvements and progress are being made.”

Last year, the Legislature funded additional staffing and approved more than $100 million in bonds for the first phase of the project that will replace the aging Oregon State Hospital with two new psychiatric facilities.

The Oregon Legislature authorized a total of $458 million to build two new state-operated hospitals by 2013: a 620-bed hospital in Salem and 360-bed facility in Junction City.

“That will go a long way toward improving the lives and safety of the patients at the state hospital,” said Jenson, “but bricks and mortar will do little or nothing to make up for the current lack of good professional mental health treatment that is described in the report.”

Jenson said he intends to ensure that those entrusted to state custody receive the highest quality of care.

“My hope is that this committee will be able to make suggestions that can fill in the gaps until that time,” Jenson said.

The report set out recommended changes but no timelines to complete them. It is the latest in a series of critical looks at the hospital.