We're #1 (and Other Important Information not Reported from the Mental Health Task Force Meeting Last Week......)

 

It's Not Always Good to Be #1

Those who attended this past Thursday's Quarterly Mental Health Task force meeting at Hillcrest Church in Pensacola were told about the state of mental health and treatment in our area--and the news is ominous and the problem appears to be growing.  Nothing was reported in the press on this after the meeting though--which to me is ASTONISHING.  In addition to the area experiencing 3,120 Baker Acts already this year--we now also hold the dubious distinction of being the number one county in the state of Florida for drug overdoses.  #1.  From January to June 27th--Escambia County EMS has dealt with 1,024 Overdoses, or 5.6 per day in our area on average--#1 in the state.  More than anyone.  #1.

Sometimes it isn't good being number one.

This astonishing statistic was provided to the assembled group of task force members(state representative Michelle Salzman, Clinic directors, law enforcement, EMS, health care professionals, county leadership, and others working to tackle this problem) by Escambia County EMS Chief David Torsell--who himself also commented that he has never, in his more than 30 year career in public safety, seen "So much Death as he has in his last 13 months in Escambia County."

To help address this issue, he informed the group that he will be working in partnership with Community Health Northwest to help provide addicts with access to Suboxone-- a drug for easing withdrawal symptoms for addicts,  which itself is an opioid and  schedule III narcotic that is very expensive and has--according to some accounts--the potential to be abused.  Apparently, this is a high cost drug, but Community Health Northwest will be able to provide it for about $30 per prescription via the utilization of a $1.43 Million Dollar State of Florida program that 9 counties have been able to tap for funding.

When discussing the most important shortcomings of our area's response to this "epidemic" of addiction and the resultant overdoses--Torsell discussed the need for transportation of folks that are addicted to access important mental health support and medical appointments.  

Another big issue is follow-up care for these patients, the ones who survive their overdoses and sometimes do not receive follow-on help overcoming their addictions.  Torsell suggests that a private induction room is necessary to facilitate this follow up treatment, and he strongly suggests that such follow-up treatment and induction be given within 24 hours of the initial overdose--but not during the primary episode at which time the patient is in the hospital ER.

To assist with this transportation problem, Torsell reports that several members of the Escambia County Public Safety Department will be receiving training so these same individuals can assist with transportation of patients in conjunction with ECAT.  I'm sure there will be more to come on this initiative in the weeks ahead.

There was much more discussed at this meeting beyond us being #1 in overdoses; important issues like case management shortcomings and a diminishing number of choices of detox facilities for area patients were also spotlighted.  On a positive note--County Administrator Wes Moreno and Ronnie Rivera from ECSO also discussed/unveiled a new county initiative which will help integrate the provision of services for those who are homeless and afflicted with mental health issues as well as addiction.  This dashboard will provide snapshot data on where beds are available in the County and what the entry criteria is at each facility where each bed is available.  Apparently this will be coming online very soon.  (Meanwhile--we cannot seem to get a joint meeting shceduled with the City on the topic of Homelessness--although I have asked over and over about this like a broken record.  I'm going to figure that out once and for all this coming week.)

But back to the task force meeting--it was by all accounts a very sobering look at our community's struggle with mental health, homelessness, and addiction. Alarming, sobering, and stark 

And with our Nation's southern border totally porous and busted, Chinese Fentanyl pouring over it, and

us sitting on the western end of Florida with 1-10 passing right through (a well established drug and human smuggling route)--it isn't all that surprising that the outlook is dim.  Add to this the generational poverty, desperation, and dysfunction at high percentages in our community combined with a surge in drug use, abuse, (and associated violence) and addiction from citizens locally from every socioeconomic and racial demographic--and  "voila" we have the recipe for getting hammered by this overdose crisis.

It is good to know there are many in the community who are working to fight it.  And in the Senate.  I'm glad the county is intimately involved in this fight along with many in the community.  But right now, it looks grim.