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Mental Health Reform Outcomes, Months Later

The practice of “streeting”—or releasing people with mental illnesses when psychiatric beds are not found for them—came to light in 2013 when that happened to Senator Creigh Deeds’ son, who later took his own life.  But changes in civil commitment laws to reform the state’s crisis response system were subsequently approved and took effect last July.  State officials have unveiled new statistics that reveal the effects of those reforms.

The changes extended the emergency custody time frame, created a database of available beds, and required use of a state facility if a private bed is not found. Assistant Behavioral Health Commissioner Daniel Herr said up to 40,000 crisis response requests are made each month. He compared recent outcomes to a 2013 study.

“Approximately 1,400 temporary detention orders were issued a month. Now we have an average of 2,000 temporary detention orders issued every month.”

He said the number of adults admitted to state psychiatric hospitals increased by 27 percent, and the number of clinician-recommended temporary detention orders that were not issued has declined. 

“In those six months, from July through December of 2014, there were 25 events that were reported.”

Health Secretary Bill Hazel agreed.

“We’ve gone from what—25 or so a month to 25 in six months.  No individual has been turned away for absence of a bed.”

He also said the high case load is challenging.

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