State Settles Sexual Abuse Lawsuit at Lakewood Mental Health Facility

The Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) reached a $3 million settlement on Friday, March 15, in a lawsuit brought by a young woman who was sexually abused more than a decade ago, according to DSHS.

The woman claimed she was abused by a staff member at the Child Study and Treatment Center in Lakewood while she was a patient there. The agreement also settles the young woman’s claims against the superintendent of the mental health facility at the time of the sexual abuse.

The suit alleged that supervisors failed to properly supervise staff member Tony Grant, who had sex with the young woman when she was a patient at the facility in 2001-2003. Child Study and Treatment Center administrators fired Grant when the abuse was disclosed. He later pled guilty to misdemeanor criminal charges.

The plaintiff initially sued the state for $12.5 million. DSHS denied liability for the plaintiff’s claims that it was responsible for the criminal actions of its former employee Tony Grant who had passed several criminal background checks prior to being hired by CSTC. Claims brought against another administrator were ordered dismissed earlier this year by the court.

Child Study and Treatment Center serves a very high-risk population of children and adolescents with histories of victimization, trauma and victimizing of other.

According to DSHS, the Child Study and Treatment Center has tightened its supervision policies and practices since this incident took place 10 years ago. For example, male staff members are not allowed to have unsupervised time with female patients at any time.

"These vulnerable young people deserve a safe, protective setting," said DSHS spokesman Thomas Shapley. "We deeply regret what happened to this young woman. We hope that she will use the money from this settlement to get the help she needs to recover from that traumatic time in her life."