A care team testifies during a February, 2025 Psychiatric Security Review Board hearing. Credit: Viktoria Sundqvist / Zoom screen capture
HARTFORD, CT — After five years, the Connecticut Psychiatric Security Review Board has ended virtual access to its twice-monthly hybrid meetings because of safety concerns.
The review board is tasked with determining the appropriate level of supervision and treatment for people acquitted of crimes due to mental disease or defect in the state. Under state law, the board must balance public safety with the wellbeing of patients in its decisions.
After a brief pause in meetings during the early months of the pandemic, the board began offering meetings on Zoom in May 2020. When the board began meeting again in person, it offered hybrid meetings. As of June 13 of this year, however, the option to attend via Zoom has ended, and meetings can now only be attended in person at Connecticut Valley Hospital in Middletown.
Executive Director Vanessa Cardella stressed that the meetings are still open to the public, that the board remains committed to transparency and that it plans to continue providing timely updates and information on its website.
“The decision to discontinue hybrid hearings was made after careful consideration of the overall hearing experience, the integrity of the process, and the need to maintain a secure, respectful environment for all participants,” she said.
Offering hybrid meetings introduced significant challenges, she said.
“The virtual component often created distractions, technical difficulties, and audio issues that interfered with the board’s ability to conduct proceedings smoothly and effectively,” Cardella said. “Additionally, there were some serious safety concerns, including the inability to control or limit who might be recording or posting sensitive content online.”
The PSRB consists of six members appointed by the governor: a psychiatrist, a psychologist, someone with experience in probation, a Connecticut attorney, and two members of the public. The board currently has one vacancy.
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