An NBC Connecticut Investigates exclusive about a whistleblower at a state-run hospital has received attention from a state panel.
The whistleblower’s comments about a culture of silence on patient abuse were brought up by a panel trying to improve conditions there.
The CVH Whiting Task Force was formed in the wake of the patient abuse scandal at the Whiting Forensic Hospital in Middletown.
The panel got a briefing on how staff training has improved at the psychiatric hospital since the abuse was uncovered, when our recent story was brought up.
In particular, task force member Paul Acker mentioned a comment by self-proclaimed Whiting whistleblower Ben Rosado in our report.
Rosado said, “The minute you get hired there you are trained to not talk about anything that you witness."
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Acker asked Whiting Medical Director Tobias Wasser what has been done to fix that culture of silence beyond changes in the law for mandated reporters.
Wasser told the panel he and his team have tried to reinforce the expectation with staff that if they see something, say something.
He said Whiting is starting to change that culture, but still has work to do.
It was notable that we heard any comments by administrators about handling or reporting patient abuse at Whiting. No one from the state or Whiting spoke with NBC Connecticut Investigates in our exclusive about the whistleblower last week, citing a pending suit by the family of the abused patient.
