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My name is And Steiner. I am a Queer, gender-diverse patient that has been hospitalized in Massachusetts' (MA) Department of Mental Health (DMH) hospitals for four years because of severe suicidality with suicide attempts.

During that time, I have endured three attempts by DMH to suddenly discharge me from treatment without appropriate support, a practice known as “patient dumping”. This usually occurs when insurance has denied coverage or a patient has become a legal liability and often proves deadly, as you will see in this petition. 

While under DMH’s care, I have learned of at least two cases of serious medical neglect, and one suspected, which resulted in patient deaths. Haywood Earl was a Black man who died "a painful and untimely death" from medical neglect at Lemuel Shattuck Hospital, according to an investigation by Disability Law Center. Disability Law Center also investigated the death of CaSonya King (pictured), a Black woman who they concluded “died needlessly” from being "patient dumped" from a psychiatric hospital. It is suspected that Jean Busch, a transgender patient at Lemuel Shattuck, died similarly. All minorities. All died needlessly.

(You can link below to news articles about the mentioned investigations by Disability Law Center)

When I learned of their deaths I was affected deeply. I reported Jean's death to DMH Authority, Attorney General Campbell and Governor Maura Healey in Jan 2023.

Despite being under no criminal investigation, as punishment for reporting Jean's death, I was illegally and forcibly transferred to a dangerous forensic ward with no due process. There I experience 15 months of relentless physical assaults, as well as verbal and sexual harassment, often directly related to my sexual orientation and gender identity.

Here's a picture of my injuries from one of the many assaults I endured during my time in the forensic ward. A patient tried to gouge out my right eye. DMH didn't even transfer the patient to another floor.

Because of my own experiences with abuse and neglect at Lemuel Shattuck Hospital, and their own attempts to patient dump me, I was not shocked when I learned that Haywood Earl was killed of neglect here, nor that there are allegations that Jean Busch, in this same hospital, was abused and patient dumped into a dangerous living environment where she killed herself shortly afterwards.

Nor was I shocked when staff members at Lemuel Shattuck alleged that they have evidence of systemic abuse against Queer people at Lemuel Shattuck. 

Massachusetts prides itself on being a haven for Queer, Black, Brown and Indigenous people. Serious accusations have been raised by patients and staff of systemic abuse and medical neglect against Black, Brown and Queer patients in MA DMH hospitals.

The goals of this petition are: 

*For Attorney General of Massachusetts, Andrea Joy Campbell, to launch an investigation to determine whether Black, Brown, Queer and Indigenous patients are disproportionately affected by medical neglect in Massachusetts hospitals. 

*For Attorney General Campbell to investigate the death of Jean Busch, a transgender patient. 

*For Attorney General Campbell to investigate reports, by DMH staff members, of systemic abuse of Queer people at Lemuel Shattuck Hospital. 

*For Maura Healey, Massachusetts' 1st openly Queer governor, to support the Attorney General's investigations.

*If warranted, to use the results of these investigations to create laws and policies to provide special protections for racial, sexual orientation and gender minorities from medical neglect in the Massachusetts hospital systems.

*To create a patient-led, community-driven grassroots organization that monitors healthcare providers, promotes accountability, and ensures safe, culturally competent care for Black, Brown Queer and Indigenous populations. 

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CLICK HERE to read an article about Haywood Earl, a 60 year old Black man who an investigation concluded was killed by neglect at Lemuel Shattuck Hospital.

CLICK HERE to read an article about CaSonya King. A black woman who died by being "patient dumped", similarly to a transgender woman, Jean Busch.

CLICK HERE to read a message to supporters from Antonia Nagy, filmmaker and owner of CaveLight Productions.     

If you would like to get involved or have you or your loved one's story of medical neglect or psychiatric abuse in Massachusetts featured in an update please email MAmedicalneglect@pm.me

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