State health officials said they're also trying to set up other local programs as quickly as possible, such as “crisis stabilization” centers and drop-in counseling centers, which were approved by the 2007 Legislature.
“It really helps to keep people in (their) community,” said John Chappuis, deputy director of the state Department of Public Health and Human Services. “Governor Schweitzer is wholly committed to community services. This is becoming a real good success story.”
Since last summer, the hospital has averaged 209 patients and hit as many as 224, straining its staff and resources, officials said.
Patients who go to the hospital are sent by court order, usually after a mental-health crisis. Admission rates at the hospital also have doubled in recent years, meaning Warm Springs is seeing a much higher turnover of patients arriving and leaving the hospital.
“We must assess them, admit them and work through the commitment process,” said hospital director Ed Amberg. “Then we have to find a place for them to go when they discharge.”
Last month, the administration launched its plan to reduce the number of patients at the hospital, declaring a fiscal “exigency” that allows it to arrange local care contracts without competitive bidding.
“The competitive process takes months; we just couldn't wait months,” Chappuis said.
The state negotiated to have 28 beds for the mentally ill at J's House, an independent living facility in Missoula. It is arranging for another 36 beds and treatment spots in Helena and Great Falls, and maybe a few more in Billings and Miles City.
“A lot of these are going to provide services that are needed to people who have a potential to go into the State Hospital if they're unable to get services,” Chappuis said. “We really think these are needed to slow down the demand at Warm Springs.”
The state will pay local providers for the beds. It estimates the new beds will cost about $2.3 million over the next 16 months, paid for with savings elsewhere from within the state health-care budget.
As of late last week, the State Hospital patient count stood at 190, or just above the licensed maximum.
Gov. Schweitzer said creating community-based treatment, both in the mental-health and correctional system, saves state money in the long run and is more humane for those in the systems.
“Both are healing processes,” he said. “People having services close to home so they have a network of their family and friends in the healing process is extremely valuable.”
Staying one day at Warm Springs costs $375; local group home beds usually run from $100 to $150 a day, state health officials said.
Advocates for the mentally ill said boosting community services is “a step in the right direction.” However, they said it's important that the new beds and other services meet the treatment needs of mentally ill patients.
Anita Roessmann, a
staff attorney for Disability Rights Montana, said last week that patients should be placed near family members and where they can get
the right treatment.
“Mental health care should be about what the individual patients need,” she said.
On top of increased patient traffic, the hospital also has had to deal with work force shortages. One-fourth of its 75 fulltime nursing spots were vacant in January.
Amberg said the vacancy rate has started to decline, in part because the Schweitzer administration approved higher starting salaries for registered nurses in January.
Starting pay for registered nurses at Warm Springs increased $2.50 an hour, up to as high as $22.85, depending on experience. Starting pay for licensed practical nurses increased $2.35 an hour in October, up to $14.10.
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