The fight for Steven Bishop continues a year later

By Mike Renzella

The Haldimand Press

HALDIMAND—After over a year since The Haldimand Press featured one local family’s struggle to find appropriate care for their adult autistic son, Steven Bishop, the struggle has yet to end.

The Press initially reported that Bishop, who operates at a kindergarten level, was admitted to the emergency psychiatric room at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Hamilton on September 14, 2018 and transferred to the West 5th Mental Health Facility a few days later, where he remains today. This came after he had about 40 major incidents in a 10-month period, each time putting him at risk of significant self-injury and property damage, as the family was unable to find a suitable adult care home.

Bishop’s mother, Maureen Francella, shares her son’s experiences since being admitted: “Steven has had a very difficult time living in a psychiatric hospital. This environment provides for his basic care, but limits opportunities for life skills and social interaction…. We had a huge fear of Steven becoming acclimatized to a hospital environment and with each passing day this is becoming a reality.”

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