Commission hears troubles in dealing with the mentally ill

By Patsy Stoddard

The Emery County Commissioners heard from Karen Dolan and Jennifer Thomas of Four Corners Behavioral Health. They presented the Four Corners Area Plan and Budget for approval. The plan outlines the services which Four Corners provides. County Attorney Mike Olsen had some questions about the plan. He wondered what the procedure is for someone in a mental health crisis. He asked what the procedure is for transports.
If a mental health subject is a danger to themselves or others, they can be transported to the state mental hospital if a bed is available or to another designated facility. Before a subject can be transported they need to have a medical evaluation at a local hospital.
Jennifer Thomas, Crystal Sorensen can sign these transport orders as well as any officer. Thomas said the decision to transport must be used safely and wisely because it has many effects.
Along with the Justice Reinvestment Initiative, more emphasis has been put on treatment and not incarceration for those with substance abuse problems. Many of those with substance abuse problems Dolan pointed out do not have insurance and the money from JRI didn’t follow.
Dolan said there aren’t enough beds available for the number of psychiatric patients who need them. Hospitalization is very expensive upwards of $1,000 per day.
Thomas said in the past week Four Corners dealt with five people and did find beds for all of them.
If the state hospital is full they can call around to other facilities and try to locate a spot for them.
Attorney Olsen was concerned with the amount of time it takes to transport a patient to the state hospital. Oftentimes two officers are tied up at Castleview Hospital for five hours getting the medical evaluation completed. Then they transport which takes another few hours. It’s very expensive to pay these officers overtime to do this.
The forensic unit at the state hospital is also full. This unit is for those mentally ill who have committed crimes.
The state legislature is working on more beds at the state hospital.
Attorney Olsen was concerned about a recent case where the officers waited at the hospital, were told everything was OK, transported to the mental hospital where the patient was rejected because the two doctors hadn’t communicated and the officers brought the patient back.
Attorney Olsen was concerned this type of thing happens over and over.
Thomas explained these patients have to meet a certain criteria. There is no law against being crazy. Mental illness is never easy. Things blow up and then calm down, there are ups and downs.
Dolan said the patients must be released in a healthy way, with physical, mental and legal aspects of the case being considered. “There are a lot of moving parts. We are doing the best we can.”
Attorney Olsen was concerned the mental health situations must be handled correctly. “When someone is murdered in our community, the sheriff doesn’t say there are a lot of moving parts.”
Commissioner Keith Brady said he sees part of the problem is not enough beds for these patients.
Capt. Kyle Ekker said he agrees Four Corners and the Sheriff’s Office need to work together but the system is flawed. “There used to be a facility in Price. Now waiting four or five hours in the emergency room in Price is unacceptable. Transporting directly to the mental hospital should be an option. These people need treatment, holding them in jail cells makes them worse. My officers aren’t trained to diagnose mental problems. We used to be able to drive them straight up to the hospital. Now it takes five hours with two deputies just sitting at Castleview. My deputies will ask, ‘How long do we have to sit at Castleview,” said Capt. Ekker.
Dolan suggested everyone lobby their legislators for more beds. Can they work with Castleview to expedite the medical evaluation process for these patients?
Attorney Olsen recommended the Four Corners Area Plan and Budget be tabled for further discussion. He suggested a meeting be set-up with Four Corners and the Sheriff’s Office to discuss the handling of the mentally ill patients.
Dolan said this would hold up their funding if the plan is tabled.