County seeks to fire psychiatrist Karl Strelnick; one patient dead, another pregnant

October 11, 2010

On October 5, 2010, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reported that a hearing was scheduled for January 25, 2011 before the Milwaukee County Personnel Review Board regarding the proposed termination of psychiatrist Karl Strelnick. 

Strelnick was suspended this past August without pay from his position at the Milwaukee County Mental Health complex due to his involvement in two serious patient-related matters. 

One case involved a Strelnick-supervised patient who became pregnant while at the complex whose guardians were not advised in a timely manner and who was kept on medications considered potentially harmful to fetuses. 

Strelnick surrendered his license for two years in 1987 for engaging in “sexual conduct” with patients, including up to 100 instances with one patient who later successfully sued him for $750,000.

The other case involved a Strelnick patient who died in 2006 of complications from starvation shortly after she was released from the complex. 

Both instances resulted in federal declarations that patients at the complex were in “immediate jeopardy”—the most serious regulatory alert, which can result in loss of federal aid. 

Following the incident with the impregnated patient (it is suspected that the father was another patient of the complex), Strelnick was not disciplined but rather was transferred from his position dealing with acute care patients to another unit housing patients with both mental illness and mental disabilities. 

Strelnick surrendered his license for two years in 1987 for engaging in “sexual conduct” with patients, including up to 100 instances with one patient who later successfully sued him for $750,000. 

He was hired by the complex in 1992 and was paid $174,880 last year.

Source: Final Decision and Order in the Matter of the Disciplinary Proceedings Against Karl Strelnick, M.D., State of Wisconsin, Before the Medical Examining Board; Steve Schultze and Meg Kissinger, “Shakeup at Milwaukee County Mental Health Complex widens,” Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, August 26, 2010 and Steve Schultze, “Hearing set for suspended psychiatrist Strelnick,” Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, October 5, 2010.