Summit Behavioral Health: Johnstown Heights Behavioral Health Receives Second "Immediate Jeopardy" Warning in 6 Months from State Health Regulators

July 6, 2023

JOHNSTOWN, Colo. — State regulators have again flagged concerns inside a Colorado mental health facility north of Denver.

Johnstown Heights Behavioral Health has received its second "immediate jeopardy" designation, the state's most serious for a mental health hospital.

In April, state inspectors moved in on Johnstown Heights after complaints about the facility prompted a visit. Their recent report cites the facility's failure to keep patients safe.

The inspection details an incident where multiple employees, including senior-level managers, carried a patient out of the facility by her arms and legs and dumped her into the parking lot. That patient was being treated because of suicide threats.

"Specifically, the facility failed to have a process in place to ensure patients left the facility safely upon discharge," regulators wrote. "The facility's failure created the likelihood, if not immediately corrected, of serious harm affecting patients."

The most recent findings follow other disturbing accusations regarding patient care by former employees.

"They didn't have the staff to protect the patients," said BJ Potts, a veteran nurse who quit after working at the facility for six months. "Johnstown Heights was, to me, a disaster waiting to happen."

The state issued its first immediate jeopardy designation to Johnstown Heights in November 2022, following a patient death in the facility's detox unit.

"He was 39 years old, he walked in there on his own volition and through negligence, he died. It was negligence," Potts said.

That inspection showed at one time, the detox patient who died went 16 hours without being checked.

“The facility failed to ensure registered nurses assessed detox patients in 14 of 16 records reviewed,” the November report stated. “The time medication was administered was not documented.”

The most recent immediate jeopardy concerning patient safety has since been lifted, following corrective action from the hospital in order to stay open, which included additional training for staff.

Johnstown Heights CEO Sean Peterson did not return multiple phone calls from Denver7 Investigates seeking comment.

Source: Tony Kovaleski , Kelly Dietz, “State places Colorado mental health facility on second serious designation in 6 months,” Denver7.com, Jul 4, 2023, URL: https://www.denver7.com/news/investigations/state-places-colorado-mental-health-facility-on-second-serious-designation-in-6-months