Doctor cites problems at AMHI

PORTLAND – The former top psychiatrist at the Augusta Mental Health Institute told a judge that he quit because officials did not want to hear about recurring problems at the state psychiatric hospital.

Dr. Benjamin Grasso, the hospital’s medical director from 1999 to 2002, said Thursday that he met resistance when he informed the state mental health commissioner and the hospital’s superintendent of problems.

The psychiatrist’s testimony came during a trial in which former AMHI patients are arguing the state is not making improvements in mental health care required by a 1990 consent decree.

The agreement called for a major revamping of the state’s system of care for the mentally ill, improving and downsizing the state hospital while shifting to a community-based system.

State mental health officials say the terms of the consent decree were met by January 2002. They have asked Superior Court Chief Justice Nancy Mills to lift the consent decree, which has left large portions of the state mental health system under court control since 1990.

Grasso, who now heads outpatient psychiatric services at St. Mary’s Hospital in Lewiston, said he left his job because of differences in management philosophy with state Mental Health Commissioner Lynn Duby and the hospital’s supervisor, Lisa Kavanaugh.

He said he had monthly meetings with the commissioner and worked closely with Kavanaugh, but they did not support his attempts to address problems.

“My philosophy of management is to be forthright about all matters, including matters that are not working well,” Grasso said. “My experience bringing information forward about areas of concern … were that they were not well-received.”