Local Agencies Form Crisis Program

DAYTON - In late Febru- ary, a local resident arrived at Dayton General Hospital's emergency room in a state of psychiatric crisis. After being examined by medical personnel, he was transferred out of the ER into a hospital bed, and placed under the supervision of a crisis spe- cialist from Blue Mountain Counseling.

It was the first case han- dled under a new agreement between Columbia County Health System, which oper- ates the hospital, and Blue Mountain Counseling, who is contracted by the state to provide mental health ser- vices for Columbia County residents.

The program allows pa- tients needing longer-term psychiatric care to be treated away from the emergency room under the care of designated "respite care workers.' Before a patient is referred to the program, he or she is first examined by medical personnel at the hospital.

According to Todd Wag- ner, BMC's clinical director, lack of bed space for people experiencing psychiatric cri- sis is a huge problem. "Wash- ington is last in the nation in psychiatric beds," he said. "In King County, hospitals are housing psychiatric patients in their emergency rooms for extended periods because there is no other place for them to go."

Wagner said that institu- tions such as Eastern State Hospital in Cheney no longer have space to house new patients.

The local program defines respite care patients as those who pose a danger to themselves or others, or are unable to care for themselves, due to mental illness.

As part of the local agreement, Blue Mountain Counseling is in the process of hiring a team of respite care workers who will provide around-the-clock care for psychiatric patients at the hospital. "These people will receive special training and will provide care away from the emergency room setting," Wagner said.

A respite care worker will always be on call and avail- able to provide care when a patient is admitted to the program.

Wagner said that Co- lumbia County averages 12 emergency psychiatric pa- tients per year. "In the past, these patients would have been admitted to Eastern State Hospital," or one of the other institutions for psychiatric care, Wagner said.

According to Blue Mountain Counseling's executive director, Demita Warren, the cost of treating psychiatric patients transferred to Eastern State or other locations has always been paid with funds provided to Blue Mountain Counseling from the state of Washington. Those patients can now be treated locally, with the funds going to the local hospital.

CCHS CEO Dale Polla says it's a win-win situation for the hospital and BMC. "Treating psychiatric patients in the emergency room long term is not a good solution," Polla said. "But that was the only option that was avail- able. This program works because Blue Mountain Counseling is able to provide staffing that we couldn't."

Wagner said that the two agencies got together at the suggestion of Dr. Michael Luce, who is a physician with CCHS and is also BMC's medical director.