CAMARILLO HOSPITAL PATIENT'S TRANSFER BRINGS CLOSURE NEAR; LAWSUIT HOPED TO SPARE FACILITY'S FUTURE.

Byline: Jesse Hiestand Daily News Staff Writer

A Camarillo State Hospital patient whose transfer was blocked by a court order last week has opted to be moved anyway, given the strong likelihood the hospital will close on June 30, officials said.

The transfer of the developmentally disabled patient, identified in court as Mark J., to Metropolitan State Hospital in Norwalk was approved Thursday by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Robert O'Brien, attorneys said.

The patient's relatives ``felt he was isolated at Camarillo because there were too few people left in his unit,'' said attorney Ronald Gold, who represents two patient advocate groups that want to keep the hospital open.

Hospital officials had the judge approve the transfer to avoid any problems with Gold, who got a court order last week barring the transfer of several patients, said Michael Mount, chief counsel of the state Department of Developmental Services.

The order requires state officials to ensure that a group of 27 patients do not suffer emotional trauma when they are sent to other facilities and that they continue to receive comparable care.

Mount said the order actually applies to only four of the 27 patients because the rest already have moved on.

With the transfer of the patient Thursday, there are now three patients requiring special attention.

Mount said guardians for at least one of the other three patients may ask for a similar transfer next week.

State officials are due back in court June 16 to prove their compliance with the order of Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Diane Wayne. O'Brien heard the matter Thursday because Wayne was unavailable, Gold said.

The state plans to close Camarillo State Hospital on June 30 due to rising costs and a dwindling patient population. About 320 patients are still waiting to be transferred, a hospital administrator said.

At the hearing last week, Wayne made it clear she did not have the power to stop the hospital's closure.

A day after that hearing, the parents of Mark J. sent state officials a letter saying they took part in the lawsuit in hope it might keep the hospital open.

``Once it became obvious that Camarillo would be closed, (the parents) wanted their son moved,'' Mount said.

But even as some patients abandon the suit, Gold said the other plaintiffs are pressing forward.

Gold said some of the parents have been meeting with state and national organizations to see if filing other lawsuits, perhaps in federal court, could further their cause to spare Camarillo State Hospital.