MISSOULA — A former patient and former employees of a now-closed children’s psychiatric hospital in Montana have filed lawsuits against Tennessee-based Acadia Healthcare, which owned Acadia Montana in Butte.
Acadia Montana closed its 108-bed hospital in July, shortly after Oregon officials questioned its use of injected medications, such as antihistamines, to control the behavior of a 9-year-old foster child from Oregon.
The former patient, Alexander Miller, 21, alleges negligence, assault and infliction of emotional distress during his time as a patient seven years ago, the Missoulian reported Sunday. Officials with Acadia did not respond to calls seeking comment on Miller’s lawsuit.
Separately, 30 former employees are seeking back pay alleging Acadia Healthcare violated a federal law that requires employers to give 60 days notice to employees before a layoff of more than 100 people. Acadia has argued that it was not subject to the federal law because it did not employ 100 people when it closed.
Attorneys for the former employees allege Acadia incrementally laid people off, driving the number of employees down so it wouldn’t fall under the federal notification law.