Mental health patients swamp unprepared ERs in Sacramento County

[marmar]

from the Sacramento Bee:




With fewer places to turn, mental health patients are overwhelming Sacramento County emergency rooms – increasing wait times, straining law enforcement and exposing the limited ability of ERs to deal with serious mental disorders.

Last fall, Sacramento County shuttered its mental health crisis stabilization unit, the main facility for serving the community's emergency mental health needs, particularly for the uninsured and poor. ERs quickly saw their traffic jump.

During the first three months of 2010, about 4,100 patients with a primary diagnosis involving a mental disorder visited emergency rooms in the county – up 30 percent from a year ago and 55 percent from 2007, according to data from the California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development.

A mental health patient now arrives in a Sacramento County emergency room every 30 minutes, on average. One in every four arrives with a psychotic disorder, according to state data.

"It's caused a major disruption in this county," said Scott Seamons, the regional vice president for the Hospital Council of Northern and Central California. ...........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.sacbee.com/2010/08/15/2959681/mental-patients-swamp-unprepared.html#ixzz0wgVq2ilG

[hobbit709]

1. More of that "No new taxes" coming home to roost.

Social services are ALWAYS the first to be cut.

[HEyHEY]

2. Due to the stigma, I suggest you change "Mental patients" to "Mental Health patients"

No argument intended.

[RKP5637]

3. What is happening to this country is an atrocity. n/t

[Confusious]

4. Mental health has always gotten the shaft

Even in good times.

[steve2470]

5. agreed !!!! nt

[Roon]

8. My ex is bipolar with rapidly changing moods..mood swings

he can't work, he is too out of it to even apply for disability, so now he is homeless. No services for him to turn to.

However if you have hiv here in denver,it's a different story. You get the best mental health care money can buy. I see an actual MD. (I can't spell the actual word, I can't even come close enough for spell check)

Anyway, the only reason is because the city doesn't want you losing your mind and going out and spreading hiv. So we get good mental health care.

[nightrain]

6. thanks for posting... terribly sad. Happens here too...

[xchrom]

7. Recommend