Colorado Mental Health Institute Pueblo Superintendent Ron Hale has resigned as the hospital faces a severe staffing shortage and is at risk of losing federal funding, according to The Denver Post.
Last week, CMS placed the 449-bed behavioral health hospital on notice of "immediate jeopardy" after federal regulators determined the facility poses "immediate and serious threat to the health and safety" of its patients. The hospital risks losing its federal funding if it fails to put a plan into place to correct the deficiencies within three weeks, according to the report.
The problems identified by CMS were related to the hospital's staffing shortage. There are currently 97 vacant positions at the hospital.
Since receiving the notice from CMS, the Mental Health Institute has met required staffing levels by forcing mandatory overtime and denying new vacation requests, Elizabeth Owens the hospital's human services spokeswoman said in an email to The Denver Post.