The clinical director of Maryland’s main state-run mental hospital has been placed on leave and is prohibited from entering state government buildings, sources said Thursday.
Maryland Department of Health spokesman Chase Cook confirmed Thursday afternoon that Dr. Scott Moran, the clinical director of the state-run, maximum-security Clifton T. Perkins psychiatric hospital, has been placed on leave, but declined to answer additional inquiries.
“The Department does not comment on personnel matters, nor can it comment on patient health information,” Cook said in a statement.
Dwain Shaw, the CEO of the state-run Spring Grove Hospital Center, filed a petition for a peace order against Moran on Feb. 7. Court documents allege that Moran was harassing Maryland Department of Health employees over the internet.
The petition, filed by Shaw and Nisha Madhaven, a state health department employee, said that Moran threatened them virtually. Shaw alleged Moran intimidated, bullied and publicly humiliated employees, and sent messages saying “you don’t know what I used to do in the military,” “you’re going to be in trouble and you’re gonna get Moran’d,” and “you ain’t gonna beat me. I don’t lose clown,” among other graphic and racially charged statements.
Shaw did not immediately respond to inquiries from The Baltimore Sun.
A person familiar with the situation confirmed Thursday afternoon that documents bearing Moran’s headshot and telling state employees to not allow him to enter government buildings have been circulated. A supplement to the temporary peace order granted by a Baltimore County Circuit Court judge last week that was submitted by Shaw said that Moran is “believed to be in possession of weapons.”
Cook confirmed to The Sun that Moran is still employed by the Department.
A court document saying that Moran could not be served with Shaw’s peace order was filed Wednesday. According to the filing dated Feb. 14, Moran was at MedStar Montgomery Medical Center in Olney, but had been transferred to MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center in Baltimore.
A court hearing is scheduled for Feb. 21.
According to his LinkedIn, Moran, a forensic psychiatrist, began serving as the clinical director of Clifton T. Perkins under former Republican Gov. Larry Hogan, and has held the position for over four years. He formerly served as a command psychiatrist for the U.S. Army’s Special Operations Command.
