The Dallas VA Medical Center has decided to close its psychiatric wing after a fourth mentally ill patient committed suicide this year.The suicide happened on April 4, when a man fastened a bed sheet to the bottom corner of a doorframe, draped a noose over the top, and hanged himself.The first two suicides happened in January when two men who met in the hospital’s psychiatric ward committed suicide days after being released. A veteran who hanged himself on a frame attached to his wheelchair followed them shortly.Joseph Dalpiaz, director of the VA North Texas Health Care System decided he wanted “to give us some time to asses the environment of care and make sure things were as safe as possible in our patient unit. It’s a horrible tragedy and it may not have been preventable, but we wanted to look again to see if anything can be done to increase safety,â€? said Dr. Catherine Orsak, head of mental health for the VA’s North Texas health system, as quoted by the Houston Chronicle.Dr. Orsak said the hospital has spent more than $250,000 the past six months to eliminate suicide risks. She also added the hospital has increased staffing and checks to ensure their safety.On the other hand, Shirley Bemps blames doctors for her husband’s suicide, saying that if her husband “was a high-risk patient like they said, he should have been watched and monitored. They haven’t called me to offer condolences. They won’t even respond to me. I just feel cheated.â€?

Dr. Orsak said she did not know when the psychiatric ward would open its doors for patients again. Meanwhile, veterans are being treated at government hospitals in Waco and Temple, as well as Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas and private treatment centers such as Green Oaks and Timberlawn.