Silver State hospital probed

Los Angeles is pursuing a criminal investigation of the Las Vegas hospital that allegedly bused mental-health patients to California and other states.

In April, a review of bus receipts kept by the Nevada Division of Mental Health and Development Services revealed that the Rawson-Neal Psychiatric Hospital in Las Vegas, a facility for adults with serious mental illness, has sent more than 1,500 mental-health patients to other cities since July 2008, according to The Sacramento Bee. Two hundred of the patients arrived in Los Angeles County.

Los Angeles has an ordinance specifically describing “patient dumping” and criminal penalties for such violations. The ordinance requires that patients cannot be sent anywhere other than their home without written consent.

Since the revelation, Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval said state officials have implemented stricter discharge policies.