Officials: Psychiatric hospital has made progress on safety



SEATTLE (AP) — State officials say that federal officials are satisfied with the progress made at Washington state's largest psychiatric hospital, which had been at risk of losing millions of dollars in federal funding later this week over concerns about patient safety.

Officials with the state Department of Social & Health Services said Tuesday that regulators with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services visited the Lakewood facility this week before determining that the hospital will be able to move forward on long-term improvements. Those improvements range from staffing shortages to lack of sufficient treatment hours and lack of engagement of dangerous patients.

The facility receives $4.7 million from Medicaid and $11.2 million from Medicare annually, according to state officials. The hospital has been under threat of losing federal funds four times this year.