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Saint Elizabeths Hospital and the US Department of Justice Settlement Agreement

By federal law, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) is responsible for protecting the civil rights of institutionalized persons.  Following a review of Saint Elizabeths Hospital in 2005, from January to June, the District Government and the Department of Justice on June 25, 2007 signed a Settlement Agreement (Agreement) [PDF] that outlines how the District will address alleged deficiencies without acknowledging liability and sets a timeframe for completing the changes.  In October 2011, the District and the Department of Justice entered into a modified Agreement which suspended monitoring on approximately 115 requirements due to sustained compliance by the Hospital.  The modified Agreement also extended its term through September 30, 2012, with a subsequent year of continued monitoring. 

During the week of February 11, 2008, a survey team for the DOJ conducted a site visit at the Hospital to establish a baseline of performance in implementing the Agreement.   The baseline report reflects the findings and recommendations of the survey team. 

As provided by the Agreement, DOJ conducts regular visits and issues a Report after each visit that evaluates the Hospital’s progress.
 
In addition, the Agreement requires the District to submit reports to the DOJ on a regular basis regarding the current status and projected completion date of each provision of the Agreement.  These reports are prepared by the Saint Elizabeths Hospital internal compliance office pursuant to the Agreement.