DRC investigated College Hospital, a private psychiatric hospital in Cerritos, CA, after receiving reports of high rates of restraint and seclusion. We inspected all facility areas accessible to residents in College’s DDMI units, which are units where people who have intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) along with a significant mental illness are housed. During our investigation, we interviewed patients and staff and reviewed thousands of pages of documents. We found problems and wrote a report about what we learned. Below you will find more information about our work.

Read the Report Here

DRC’s investigation report provides our findings and recommendations for reform. The report looks at College Hospital’s use of restraint and seclusion and how other aspects of treatment and the environment impacts people with developmental and mental health care needs. We found:

DDS Vendor Restraint Data from January 2022 to December 2024

Duration of Restraint Incidents	College Hospital	California Average1
Over 4 hours	60	1
Over 2 hours	486	4
Average restraint duration	108.6 minutes	4.8 minutes

• Patients at College Hospital experience improper and excessive use of seclusion and restraints.
• College Hospital fails to assess and provide patients with adequate, individualized behavioral plans.
• College Hospital fails to provide patients with a therapeutic environment of care.
• College Hospital fails to provide adequate transition planning for patients.

Facility Response

• College Hospital Response to Report (pdf)

Media Coverage

KPFA | Community Powered Radio

• Locked In and Let Down in Cerritos – Pushing Limits

Los Cerritos Community News

• Cerritos Psychiatric Hospital Abused Patients, Violated Disability Laws for Years

San Francisco Chronicle

• California watchdog finds for-profit psychiatric hospital abused patients
• California is embracing psychiatric hospitals again. Behind locked doors, a profit-driven system is destroying lives

Resources

California Department of Public Health

• CDPH Summary Statement of Deficiencies and Plan of Correction (pdf)

Rights Under the Lanterman Act

• RULA – Rights Under the Lanterman Act
  • Chapter 8: How to Stay Out of an Institution

Department of Developmental Services

• Regional Centers: CA Department of Developmental Services

Disability Rights California

• Intake Line: 1-800-776-5746 or TTY call: 1-800-719-5798
  Available Monday/Tuesday/Thursday/Friday from 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
  Our intake line is closed on Wednesdays.
• More information can be found here: Get Help

Related Events

End Solitary Symposium: “Breaking Free of the Isolation and Building the Movement”
June 26, 2025: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Disability Rights California’s Investigations Unit will present on their recent Let Me Go report. Join Us to Commemorate the 2011-2013 California Prison Hunger Strikes and Take a Stand Against All Solitary in Prisons, Jails, and Detention Centers!

Past Events

College Hospital Investigation Report Release (Virtual)
June 24, 2025

After a two-year investigation into alarming rates of restraint and seclusion practices at the acute psychiatric facility College Hospital, Disability Rights California’s Investigations Unit will break down its investigative process, present findings from the investigation, and share actionable recommendations to improve the environment for patients.

• 1. This average reflects the data set with all data from College Hospital removed.