DEADLY RESTRAINTS - PATIENTS SUFFER IN A SYSTEM WITHOUT OVERSIGHT

HAD GLORIA HUNTLEY BEEN ABLE TO MOVE, HAD SHE NOT BEEN BOUND TO HER BED WITH LEATHER STRAPS FOR DAYS ON END, PERHAPS SHE WOULD HAVE TRIED TO DRAW THE ATTENTION OF THE INSPECTORS WHO WERE CONDUCTING A THREE-DAY TOUR OF CENTRAL STATE HOSPITAL.

HAD SHE BEEN ABLE TO MOVE, HAD SHE NOT BEEN PINNED DOWN BY THE WRISTS AND ANKLES, SHE MIGHT HAVE HELD UP A SIGN, AS SHE HAS DONE BEFORE WHEN A VISITOR CAME THROUGH WARD 7.

HER HANDWRITTEN PLEA WAS SIMPLE: "PRAY FOR ME I'M DYING."

BUT THE INSPECTION TEAM FROM THE NATION'S LEADING ACCREDITATION AGENCY NEVER NOTICED GLORIA HUNTLEY BEFORE LEAVING THE PETERSBURG VIRGINIA PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL.

THE THREE INSPECTORS FROM THE JOINT COMMISSION ON THE ACCREDITATION OF HEALTHCARE ORGANIZATIONS ISSUED CENTRAL STATE A GLOWING REPORT CARD -- 92 OUT OF 100 POINTS.

THEY ALSO BESTOWED THE COMMISSION'S HIGHEST RANKING FOR PATIENTS' RIGHTS AND CARE WHEN THEY CONCLUDED THEIR REVIEW ON JUNE 28TH. 1996.

THE NEXT DAY, GLORIA HUNTLEY DIED, SHE WAS 31.

HER HEART, FATALLY WEAKENED BY THE CONSTANT USE OF RESTRAINTS, HAD INFLAMED TO ONE AND A HALF TIMES IT'S NORMAL SIZE.

IN HER LAST TWO MONTHS, SHE'D BEEN RESTRAINED 558 HOURS -- THE EQUIVALENT OF 23 FULL DAYS.

NINE MONTHS LATER, THE JOINT COMMISSION GAVE CENTRAL STATE AN EVEN BETTER SCORE IN A FOLLOW-UP REVIEW -- EVEN THOUGH HUNTLEY'S TREATMENT WOULD ULTIMATELY BE LABELED "INHUMANE" BY THE STATE OF VIRGINIA AND CONDEMMED BY THE U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT.

"HOW COULD JCAHO GIVE CENTRAL STATE THE HIGHEST RATING IN HUMAN RIGHTS WHEN THEY WERE KILLING PEOPLE ?" ASKED VAL MARSH DIRECTOR OF THE VIRGINIA ALLIANCE FOR THE MENTALLY ILL.

THE WAY THE COUNTRY'S HEALTH CARE SYSTEM WORKS, HOW COULD IT NOT.