Officials have confirmed that New York City has agreed to improve and completely correct conditions at a psychiatric center which was recently accused of violating patients' constitutional and civil rights.

A probe had revealed that Kings County Hospital Center had failed to protect patients housed at the ward from harm, in addition to failing to treat psychiatric disabilities, and used drugs to sedate patients instead of treating them, as was confirmed by the US Justice Department.

Now, as per terms agreed to under a consent judgment with the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, New York will make sure that patients at the center in the city's Brooklyn borough have access to improved medical and mental healthcare.

"Jurisdictions have a responsibility to protect the constitutional rights of individuals in their care and to protect those individuals from harm", said Thomas E. Perez, assistant attorney general in charge of the Civil Rights Division.

As shared by the investigators, the poor conditions at the hospital had led to the death of at least 1 patient. In July of 2008, Esmin Green collapsed after waiting to see to doctor for 23 hours, and while she was lying on the floor for over an hour, doctors and the security staff ignored her condition.