CHARLESTON, W.Va. - A national regulatory group has given the state-run Mildred Mitchell-Bateman Hospital 45 days to correct a host of deficiencies in the wake of a surprise inspection at the psychiatric facility.

The Joint Commission, an independent organization that accredits most of the nation's hospitals, sent a team of investigators to Bateman last month in response to a complaint.

The commission found that persistent overcrowding and staff shortages have compromised patient care at the Huntington psychiatric hospital, according to state officials who have reviewed the report.

The accreditation group cited the 90-bed hospital for other problems, but Department of Health and Human Resources administrators declined to discuss the deficiencies or release the report Tuesday. The department is expected to submit a "plan of correction" to the Joint Commission within the next several weeks.

Charleston lawyer Dan Hedges said Tuesday he plans to subpoena the report.

"The persistent overcrowding is caused by the cutbacks in community mental health services," said Hedges, lead lawyer on a 25-year-old case that seeks to ensure behavioral health patients receive sufficient services. "There's been a steady increase in involuntary hospital commitments. There's no end in sight."

About 120 patients were staying at Bateman this week.

Bateman is appealing some of commission's findings, according to state officials who requested anonymity.

The commission, which visited Bateman on Aug. 21, could revoke Bateman's accreditation if the state doesn't fix the deficiencies. The hospital is now fully accredited following a comprehensive commission review in 2006.

Kanawha County Circuit Judge Duke Bloom has scheduled a hearing Friday afternoon to listen to evidence about problems at Bateman. Hedges plans to call at least six witnesses.

The Joint Commission, an independent organization that accredits most of the nation's hospitals, sent a team of investigators to Bateman last month in response to a complaint.

The commission found that persistent overcrowding and staff shortages have compromised patient care at the Huntington psychiatric hospital, according to state officials who have reviewed the report.

The accreditation group cited the 90-bed hospital for other problems, but Department of Health and Human Resources administrators declined to discuss the deficiencies or release the report Tuesday. The department is expected to submit a "plan of correction" to the Joint Commission within the next several weeks.

Charleston lawyer Dan Hedges said Tuesday he plans to subpoena the report.

"The persistent overcrowding is caused by the cutbacks in community mental health services," said Hedges, lead lawyer on a 25-year-old case that seeks to ensure behavioral health patients receive sufficient services. "There's been a steady increase in involuntary hospital commitments. There's no end in sight."

About 120 patients were staying at Bateman this week.

Bateman is appealing some of commission's findings, according to state officials who requested anonymity.

The commission, which visited Bateman on Aug. 21, could revoke Bateman's accreditation if the state doesn't fix the deficiencies. The hospital is now fully accredited following a comprehensive commission review in 2006.

Kanawha County Circuit Judge Duke Bloom has scheduled a hearing Friday afternoon to listen to evidence about problems at Bateman. Hedges plans to call at least six witnesses.

The state has looked at a number of options for fixing deficiencies at Bateman, but hasn't committed to a specific plan.

Bateman Chief Executive Officer Mary Beth Carlisle referred questions Tuesday to DHHR officials, who were unavailable for comment.

The Joint Commission, which is empowered by Congress to ensure the quality and safety of hospitals, doesn't release or discuss accreditation reports following investigations.

"The [hospital] has 45 days to submit corrective action," said Ken Powers, spokesman for the commission. "It's not 'here's what we're going to do.' It's 'here's what we've done to demonstrate compliance.'"

In July, the state Office of the Ombudsman for Behavioral Health cited Bateman for widespread problems and declared the facility an "accident waiting to happen."

The office found patients forced into makeshift rooms without bathrooms, and employees often working back-to-back eight-hour shifts - a practice called "freezing."

The ombudsman's report said many Bateman patients couldn't shower or shave every day because of overcrowding. Rooms lacked privacy, with patients sleeping on cots, according to the report.

Bateman has hired 90-day temporary employees to help full-time staff, but the practice doesn't work, hospital workers have said. The inexperienced temps wind up being assigned to the most aggressive patients.

Reach Eric Eyre at erice...@wvgazette.com or 348-4869.