Are Services for those in Drug Abuse/Mental Health Crisis Locally Diminishing as the Need for Detox Services is Increasing?

 

We've got a major drug issue in our community--yet the only area detox facility for uninsured and underinsured has closed.  Why?  Sadly, according to those familiar, it is all about money and resources.

At our committee of the whole last week, one speaker came to the podium with a very serious concern.  An employee of Community Health NW Florida--this individual has a history with assisting those who are homeless and those who are in drug abuse crisis.

So when he exclaimed that Lakeview's Acute Stabilization Unit has closed (see discussion starting 1:09:01 of this video)--it naturally evoked concern from the board.  This facility was one that provided inpatient detox services for adults in crisis.  It was/is a necessary service--especially given our massive drug abuse issue in portions of Escambia County, illustrated by our EMS units responding to an average of 6 opioid overdoses per day, and solidified by our Medical Examiner's warnings on the number of overdose deaths in our community overwhelming her office.  Why would that ASU facility close--necessitating that adults without insurance would have to be transferred all the way over to Bay County?  We're much bigger than Bay County--so why would this vital function be pushed over there?

I made several calls to folks who would know after that back and forth at the COW.

Lakeview's ASU did, in fact, close in December of last year.  I confirmed that fact after speaking to an individual in the know about that particular facility. Patients that would have been transferred there are now sent as far away as Panama City for Detox.  It was a resource and usage scenario which set the stage for that facility's closing, according to this informed source.  "We had a staffed facility for 10 and at times it just wasn't being utilized fully--often with as few as two patients."

In speaking with a different individual who works at Baptist Hospital and who is intimately familiar with this issue--it does come down to two things:  money and resources.   According to this individual--this is a problem and it is about to become a much bigger one-- as now only one of our three area hospitals will be taking Adolescent Baker Act patients.  Sacred Heart has not ever accepted them, and now West Florida Hospital will no longer be taking them as of the end of August--leaving just Baptist Hospital taking these cases--this according to this BHC source as well as a member of our state delegation with whom I also spoke and with whom I confirmed this issue.  "The first [judicial] circuit is now down to two Crisis Stabilization Units--one here at Baptist and one in Fort Walton Beach.  By comparison, the 2nd Judicial circuit [serving Franklin, Gadsden, Leon, Jefferson, Liberty, and Wakulla Counties] has half our population and 5 facilities.." stated the Baptist Hospital affiliated individual.   "We're taking in about 14 patients daily--and West Florida would take as many as 10--but now they won't be taking any and we will be getting them all--which is going to lead to issues in getting these patients into beds.  We will do what it takes--we serve the community--but it is an issue."  When I asked his thoughts on why Lakeview was closing the ASU--he mentioned the culprits:  money and resources.  "Look, that facility is not closing due to a decrease in need" he quipped.

In speaking with a person well acquainted with West Florida Hospital who is familiar with this issue--this statement about West Florida's curtailing acceptance of adolescent Baker Act cases is true.  According to this individual it was a difficult decision based upon.....money and resources.  "Baptist Hospital receives $1.7 Million yearly from the state to help offset the costs [of the CSU] and we [West

Florida] do not." this individual stated.  He continued "We have an array of services that we do provide, including the pavillion, and we have always tried to assist patients even though we were not/are not required to do this for children as we are not a children's mental health facility."  

I spoke to folks from a wide swath of this issue and it left me concerned now more than ever.  I spoke with personnel from our jail who have explained to me that upon the release date of some of our inmates--many of them have to be Baker Acted by the jail because they pose a threat to themselves or others--and Baptist Hospital is the "go-to" facility for this purpose.  "It was always difficult to get [Baker Act] Beds at West Florida anyway--they'd have maybe one or two beds for us--so we use Baptist exclusively for this" he stated. When I asked him what we do when we receive an inmate who requires detox--he explained that we will use in house resources (aka taxpayer money) to provide psychiatric services and medically supervised detoxification.  "We do it frequently--more often than people know.  It is a side of society a lot of folks will never see and do not want to know about" he mused.

This is a big-time problem and I will be looking into ways to address it.  We have to have that service (and more) here in Escambia County.  We cannot in good conscience be sending juvenilles that are drug addicted 100 miles away when they (and their parents) live here in Escambia County.

We have got to do more, we have to do better.  

Thankfully we have some opioid litigation money coming and perhaps this is the first thing we need to fund with it?  Detox, crisis management, drug prevention, and rehabilitation.  Look for more conversations on this topic.