Special News Report:
Mental Health Workers
of Provena Behavioral Health
Drive Client to Near-Suicide

During the morning of October 18, 2002, three mental health workers filed a disorderly behavior complaint with the Urbana Police Department against one of their clients, Dr. John Hilty, who resides at one of the apartments managed by Provena Behavioral Health. The mental health workers, Julie Pearcy and Kathy Quick, with the approval of their supervisor Sheila Ferguson, allege that their client was "verbally threatening" during an annual redetermination to determine the amount of a HUD subsidy during the afternoon of October 17, 2002. Ms. Pearcy also alleged that the path to her car was blocked by this client while photographs were being taken of her. These mental health workers are residential specialists who manage various housing programs for Provena Behavioral Health.

Dr. Hilty stated to the police that the disorderly behavior complaint was an attempt to retaliate against him for his decision to file a discrimination complaint against these workers with HUD, and his decision to release a news report with photographs expressing his concerns. These decisions were expressed to Ms. Pearcy and Ms. Quick during the annual recertification on October 17. Dr. Hilty stated the opinion that these mental health workers were attempting to suppress his first amendment rights to engage in free speech and participate in the activities of a free press by filing a false complaint against him to the police. He stated that they were discriminating against him because of his status as a disabled person with mental illness.

Nonetheless, Officer Hediger of the Urbana Police Department sided with the allegations of the mental health workers, stating that "Because it is the word of two against one, the likelihood of the complaint being true is greater than 50%." He then issued a notice to appear in court in response to the complaint. Shocked by the allegations that had been made against him and their apparent acceptance by the police officer, Dr. Hilty became very despondent, and announced his intention to commit suicide, to which Officer Hediger replied: "I'm taking you to the hospital!" While Officer Hediger was notifying the central office of his plans, Dr. Hilty managed to swallow 20-30 antidepressant tablets with a glass of water before the police officer took notice of what was happening and interrupted the suicide attempt. Photographs were taken of the police officer while the notice to appear in court was written up.

Officer Hediger escorted Dr. Hilty from his apartment to the police cruiser, and opened the door for him. They proceeded to the emergency room of Provena Covenant Medical Center, where Dr. Hilty was treated for a drug overdose. He was then admitted to the hospital because of tachycardia and other complications of the drug overdose, and later transferred to the psychiatric ward, where he remained about a week, before being discharged back to his apartment. Dr. Hilty has a history of hospitalization for major depression and Crohn's disease, and currently receives disability payments from the Social Security Administration. He obtained his Ph.D in Psychology from the University of Illinois in 1992.