We’ve all suffered through false alarms, whether planned or not, but Michigan’s Department of Health and Human Services is paying for its part in one. On October 4, 2024, Judge James Redford approved a $13 million settlement to patients and employees of the Hawthorn Center for its huge mishap with a shooter drill.
While the Hawthorn Center is now defunct, it was fully operational right before Christmas in 2022, when patients and staff heard bellowed over the speakers that two armed men were inside the facility and shots had been fired. As if that isn’t bad enough, the Hawthorn Center, located in Northville Township, was a state-ran children’s psychiatric hospital. Read that again.
The element
of surprise is often helpful when trying to effectively plan for any type of
emergency. However, given America’s history with mass shootings and gun
violence, and considering that this was literally a children’s psych hospital, leaving
out that it was a drill was utterly devastating. It gets worse too – the police
didn’t even know it was a drill. So, when 911 was called and families texted by
terrified kids and staff, the police rushed to the scene in body armor and weapons
used to combat this type of crisis.
It's hard to
imagine the horror faced by the staff and children, who were already suffering
from mental health issues. The hospital even went so far as to have two
individuals pose as shooters, but thankfully they were not armed.
The
settlement will award 50 children approximately $60,000 each, and 90 staff with
more than $50,000 each. The score from a trauma exam will help determine the
exact amount each person will receive. In addition, 24 other individuals will
receive lesser amounts. Disturbingly, the director who organized the drill
still works for the state of Michigan.
DHHS stated
it was in everyone’s best interest to settle the matter, as opposed to
prolonged litigation. While no amount of money will erase the trauma caused
that day, the incident will certainly change how drills are handled in the
future.
