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Little Rock, AR

Advocacy Group says State Hospital Death of Region 8 Man Preventable

www.kait8.com/Global/story.asp

LITTLE ROCK, AR - An advocacy group for the mentally ill said this morning that workers at the Arkansas State Hospital for mental patients could have prevented the death of a schizophrenic man last year.LITTLE ROCK, AR - An advocacy group for the mentally ill said this morning that workers at the Arkansas State Hospital for mental patients could have prevented the death of a schizophrenic man last year.

JUNE 22, 2005 - Posted at 4:11 p.m. CDT

LITTLE ROCK, AR - An advocacy group for the mentally ill said this morning that workers at the Arkansas State Hospital for mental patients could have prevented the death of a schizophrenic man last year.

The man, whose name was not released, was transferred to the hospital at Little Rock from a facility in the Jonesboro area. The Disability Rights Center said he died in September while choking on hot dogs.

The man's death touched off a center investigation that the group said uncovered numerous other violations. Those were announced at a news conference earlier this month.

The group is urging legislators to support recommendations for more stingent assessment, training and accountability to improve care at Arkansas' only mental hospital.

(Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)