Former Holly Hill patients question Raleigh police plan to divert mental health crises to troubled facility

Former patients of a mental health facility at the focus of several WRAL investigations said they are concerned about its partnership with the Raleigh Police Department.

Former patients Audria Johnson and a woman named Dale shared their thoughts on the police department’s plans to divert juveniles and adults from hospital emergency departments, instead allowing police officers to take patients in crisis straight to Holly Hill, an in-patient behavioral health hospital.

“Why? What’s the benefit?” Johnson said. “What’s the point? I don’t get it.”

Dale echoed Johnson’s sentiments.

“I don’t think I’ve ever heard a positive thing about anyone’s experience at Holly Hill,” she said.

WRAL Investigates has spoken with more than 70 people, including former patients, former Holly Hill executives, staff members and parents who expressed concerns about Holly Hill's adult and juvenile facilities. The concerns include falsifying records, a lack of treatment, over-medication, physical assaults, sexual abuse, violations found by state investigators and understaffing.

Raleigh Police Chief Estella Patterson said the new effort came about, to help alleviate overcrowding at emergency departments.

WRAL Investigates checked the claim with local hospitals.

• WakeMed said it gets about 1,200 emergency room visits per month involving mental health - and that's only going up.
• At the three Duke Hospitals - they're seeing a 20-25% increase since the pandemic.
• At UNC REX, the hospital averages more than 175 behavioral health patients each month, which a spokesperson says "strains the resources."

“Just having a facility where they can go and get more immediate care is a win for the entire community,” Patterson said.

Holly Hill CEO Leigh Holston attended WRAL Investigates’ interview with Patterson. Holston initially agreed to do an on-camera interview with WRAL Investigates, but changed her mind after our interview with the chief. In the end Holston agreed to an audio interview with WRAL Investigates.

It continued a pattern in which Holston has either not responded to our specific questions, or when she does, disputes the accounts of the dozens of people interviewed by WRAL Investigates.

WRAL News asked Holston if she thought more than 70 people were lying.

“I never said lying,” Holston said.

A U.S. Senate committee report issued in June called places like Holly Hill “warehouses of neglect.”

“There are challenges in behavioral health care like there would be in any profession,” Holston said. “I'm new, my leadership team is new, and we're so excited about our plans for the future.”

In March, Holston began as CEO at Holly Hill. Shortly after, five teens escaped from the facility.

Patterson believes Holston will get things on track.

“I think we need to give them a chance,” Patterson said.

Patterson said she is open to reassessing this collaboration, as needed, moving forward.