The timeline for the closure of Dallas' Timberlawn psychiatric hospital will at the very least stretch until the middle of February.
The hospital had previously told federal health officials it planned to close by Feb. 1 or "as soon as possible thereafter based upon any notification or other regulatory requirements," according to a letter sent by the hospital's CEO dated Jan. 10.
Timberlawn is required to give a 15-day legal notice in advance of closing and move or release their remaining patients. As of Tuesday, no such notice has been given and it remains unknown if any patients remain at the facility.
NBC 5's request for clarification on the time line and the number of remaining patients has so far not been answered.
Timberlawn has faced intense public criticism and a state investigation after a 13-year-old patient said she was raped and a staff member was killed by a patient.
Documents obtained by NBC 5 do show that Timberlawn was recently found to be in "substantial compliance" with current rules and regulations by the Texas Department of Health and Human Services.
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#Update: Timberlawn Psychiatric Hospital, which informed fed. health officials Jan. 10(letter below) that they planned to close Feb. 1 or soon after, will not close for at least 15-days.
— Jack Highberger NBC 5 (@JackHighberger) January 30, 2018
By law, they have to publish a legal notice 15-days in adv. No notice has yet been published. pic.twitter.com/hNOfQmbFyp
