The Wake Up Call for Friday: A Conversation with Dr. David Josephs on Mental Health and the Justice System Locally

Today on the wake-up call live on WPNN 103.7 we welcomed to the show Dr. David Josephs, Psychologist and Clinical Director at Lakeview Center.  Dr. Josephs joined us on the program to discuss mental health issues among some in our community that becomes burdensome for the criminal justice system—with some individuals being charged with crime but also being deemed incompetent for trial—which leads them to spending weeks and weeks and sometimes months in our jail.  Dr. Josephs and I discussed this and many potential solutions to this conundrum this morning on the show.

In addition to this, we discussed:

-local news—A tagged Great White Shark had its transponder ping off of Pensacola Beach, Pedestrian Killed on Hwy 98 at Skyhawk Drive, The active shooter at Corry Station from yesterday was a false alarm, Fatal Crash in Pace, and BCC votes to extend ASM Global contract and fund study for expansion.

-No Checks and Balances on spending LA City money on homelessness

-Another Tesla Starship launch ends with failure

-China calls Trump Tariffs “two-faced”

-Trump pauses tariffs on Canada and Mexico through April 2nd

-Rep. Al Green censured by House for disrupting joint session speech by Trump

--and much more

You can hear a complete recording of today’s live show here.

We are live each weekday morning from 6:00AM-8:00AM on WPNN-Pensacola's Information Station, where local, conservative morning-drive talk radio is ALIVE and Well and where we give you the most powerful hour(s) in local morning drive talk radio.

News, weather, traffic, humor, and educated, intelligent discourse with no PC filters....

The Wakeup Call with Jeff Bergosh on WPNN FM 103.7:  Radio UNRESTRAINED.

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