Missoula County Commissioner Jean Curtiss on Feb. 4, 2015:
"Chairwoman Ballance and Representatives Dudik and Tschida;
You received a handout last Thursday on Appropriations that made it seem like Missoula sends an inordinate number of individuals to Warm Springs, but applying a more accurate context to the data will inform your discussion for executive action this afternoon.
We've asked Linda Stoll to provide supplemental data that is more descriptive of why individuals are sent to Warm Springs from Missoula and how long they stay (days of care). The key difference in the two packets of information you received last week and today is the length of stay versus number of admissions. The spreadsheet titled MSH Admissions and Bed Utilization by County and Commitment Type- FY 2014 provides that breakdown.
There is little we can do regarding forensic admissions because they have entered the criminal justice system at that point and the evaluations are ordered by the court. However, we can hopefully avert some criminal behavior/arrest by providing more community services to individuals in crisis and prevent the need to send them to MSH.
The HJR16 overview provides very valuable information that the interim committee considered but the table showing admissions to MSH for FY 2013 does not show the breakdown I referred to in the first paragraph. I believe that is what the Appropriations Committee received last week.
The focus of the board of the Western Montana Mental Health Center has been to build facilities in the smaller communities with no detention beds, such as Hamilton. Missoula County has relied on St. Patrick Hospital, but we have reached the point where we'll need to build more beds in the future. We strongly support these bills that would provide an opportunity to partner with the State and build more emergency detention beds which will reduce the number of people we send to the state hospital.
It would also be helpful for you to review the report titled Final Grant Report, Missoula County FY14. It shows the good work we've done at the County with the current funding and that demand continues to increase.
Based on this, we strongly support House Bills 33, 34 and 35. We believe in community based solutions where the programs already have a proven track record of success. Please feel free to call or email with questions.
Respectfully, Jean Curtiss Missoula County Commissioner
Sent to Missoula County Representatives for HBs 33, 34, 35:
Missoula County supports House Bill 33 – Appropriate money for new or expanded mental health crisis intervention, on the House floor this afternoon. Many Warm Springs patients arrive at the facility from Missoula County having entered through the criminal justice system. Currently, there is little we can do regarding forensic admissions because they are court ordered. However, we can avert some criminal behavior by providing more community services to individuals in crisis and prevent the need to send them to Warm Springs. We believe in community-based solutions with proven successes, like Western Montana Health Center, who build facilities in smaller communities, but who are running out of room. HBs 33, 34, and 35 will provide an opportunity to partner with the State, build more emergency beds and provide community-based solutions. Please support HBs 33, 34, and 35.
Respectfully,
Vickie Zeier on behalf of the Missoula County Commissioners
Missoula County supports House Bill 33 – Appropriate money for new or expanded mental health crisis intervention, before Senate Finance and Claims tomorrow morning. Many Warm Springs patients arrive at the facility from Missoula County having entered through the criminal justice system. Currently, there is little we can do regarding forensic admissions because they are court ordered. However, we can avert some criminal behavior by providing more community services to individuals in crisis and prevent the need to send them to Warm Springs. We believe in community-based solutions with proven successes, like Western Montana Health Center, who build facilities in smaller communities, but who are running out of room. HBs 33, 34, and 35 will provide an opportunity to partner with the State, build more emergency beds and provide community-based solutions. Please support HBs 33, 34, and 35.
Sent the following to Missoula County Senators on the floor:
Missoula County supports House Bill 33 – Appropriate money for new or expanded mental health crisis intervention- on the Senate floor this afternoon. Many Warm Springs patients arrive at the facility from Missoula County having entered through the criminal justice system. Currently, there is little we can do regarding forensic admissions because they are court ordered. However, we can avert some criminal behavior by providing more community services to individuals in crisis and prevent the need to send them to Warm Springs. We believe in community-based solutions with proven successes, like Western Montana Health Center, who build facilities in smaller communities, but who are running out of room. HBs 33, 34, and 35 will provide an opportunity to partner with the State, build more emergency beds and provide community-based solutions. Please support HBs 33, 34, and 35. Sincerely, Vickie Zeier on behalf of the Missoula County Commissioners
Missoula County Commissioner Jean Curtiss on Feb. 4, 2015:
ReplyDelete"Chairwoman Ballance and Representatives Dudik and Tschida;
You received a handout last Thursday on Appropriations that made it seem like Missoula sends an inordinate number of individuals to Warm Springs, but applying a more accurate context to the data will inform your discussion for executive action this afternoon.
We've asked Linda Stoll to provide supplemental data that is more descriptive of why individuals are sent to Warm Springs from Missoula and how long they stay (days of care). The key difference in the two packets of information you received last week and today is the length of stay versus number of admissions. The spreadsheet titled MSH Admissions and Bed Utilization by County and Commitment Type- FY 2014 provides that breakdown.
There is little we can do regarding forensic admissions because they have entered the criminal justice system at that point and the evaluations are ordered by the court. However, we can hopefully avert some criminal behavior/arrest by providing more community services to individuals in crisis and prevent the need to send them to MSH.
The HJR16 overview provides very valuable information that the interim committee considered but the table showing admissions to MSH for FY 2013 does not show the breakdown I referred to in the first paragraph. I believe that is what the Appropriations Committee received last week.
The focus of the board of the Western Montana Mental Health Center has been to build facilities in the smaller communities with no detention beds, such as Hamilton. Missoula County has relied on St. Patrick Hospital, but we have reached the point where we'll need to build more beds in the future. We strongly support these bills that would provide an opportunity to partner with the State and build more emergency detention beds which will reduce the number of people we send to the state hospital.
It would also be helpful for you to review the report titled Final Grant Report, Missoula County FY14. It shows the good work we've done at the County with the current funding and that demand continues to increase.
Based on this, we strongly support House Bills 33, 34 and 35. We believe in community based solutions where the programs already have a proven track record of success. Please feel free to call or email with questions.
Respectfully,
Jean Curtiss
Missoula County Commissioner
Sent to Missoula County Representatives for HBs 33, 34, 35:
ReplyDeleteMissoula County supports House Bill 33 – Appropriate money for new or expanded mental health crisis intervention, on the House floor this afternoon. Many Warm Springs patients arrive at the facility from Missoula County having entered through the criminal justice system. Currently, there is little we can do regarding forensic admissions because they are court ordered. However, we can avert some criminal behavior by providing more community services to individuals in crisis and prevent the need to send them to Warm Springs. We believe in community-based solutions with proven successes, like Western Montana Health Center, who build facilities in smaller communities, but who are running out of room. HBs 33, 34, and 35 will provide an opportunity to partner with the State, build more emergency beds and provide community-based solutions. Please support HBs 33, 34, and 35.
Respectfully,
Vickie Zeier on behalf of the Missoula County Commissioners
Sending the following to Sen. Wolken tomorrow:
ReplyDeleteMissoula County supports House Bill 33 – Appropriate money for new or expanded mental health crisis intervention, before Senate Finance and Claims tomorrow morning. Many Warm Springs patients arrive at the facility from Missoula County having entered through the criminal justice system. Currently, there is little we can do regarding forensic admissions because they are court ordered. However, we can avert some criminal behavior by providing more community services to individuals in crisis and prevent the need to send them to Warm Springs. We believe in community-based solutions with proven successes, like Western Montana Health Center, who build facilities in smaller communities, but who are running out of room. HBs 33, 34, and 35 will provide an opportunity to partner with the State, build more emergency beds and provide community-based solutions. Please support HBs 33, 34, and 35.
Sent the following to Missoula County Senators on the floor:
ReplyDeleteMissoula County supports House Bill 33 – Appropriate money for new or expanded mental health crisis intervention- on the Senate floor this afternoon. Many Warm Springs patients arrive at the facility from Missoula County having entered through the criminal justice system. Currently, there is little we can do regarding forensic admissions because they are court ordered. However, we can avert some criminal behavior by providing more community services to individuals in crisis and prevent the need to send them to Warm Springs. We believe in community-based solutions with proven successes, like Western Montana Health Center, who build facilities in smaller communities, but who are running out of room. HBs 33, 34, and 35 will provide an opportunity to partner with the State, build more emergency beds and provide community-based solutions. Please support HBs 33, 34, and 35.
Sincerely,
Vickie Zeier on behalf of the Missoula County Commissioners