|
Round up: A look
at inpatient psychiatry
in New England
VERMONT
(May 2006
Issue)
In late March, the state Agency of Human Services Department of
Health, Division of Mental Health presented to the legislative Mental
Health Oversight Committee an updated proposal of the Vermont Mental
Health Futures Plan, which is designed to transform how the state
delivers mental health services to Vermonters toward a more "consumer-directed,
trauma-informed and recovery-oriented" system. The committee approved
the plan with two amendments a week later.
The Futures plan calls for the replacement of the Vermont State
Hospital, which has a capacity for 54 patients. The plan proposes
creating 32 new inpatient beds with two levels of intensive treatment
capability, intensive care and specialized care. New inpatient programs
would be created in three locations including a plan for a primary
facility to be built at or adjacent to the Burlington campus of
Fletcher Allen Health Care.
The Brattleboro Retreat and Rutland Regional Medical Center would
become two satellite mental health centers, enhancing their capacity
to develop specialized care inpatient programs.
The plan proposes to create two new programs for the longer-care
population served by VSH, but who do not require inpatient-level
care. The programs are "residential recovery programs" for sub-acute
rehabilitation (with a capacity of 18) for those who have experienced
repeated stays at VSH and "secure residential treatment programs"
(with a capacity of six) to meet the needs of those whose symptoms
no longer require inpatient care, but who are legally restricted
from discharge from a secure setting.
In December, the state Board of Health, which licenses all hospitals
in Vermont, granted Vermont State Hospital a six-month conditional
license. VSH officials must report bi-weekly to the board.
Under the Futures plan, the state's community mental health infrastructure
would be enhanced, reducing reliance on inpatient care and involuntary
care with a "voluntary and upstream" system, according to the report.
The bed capacity at VSH will shrink as community capacities come
on line.
The current plan calls for annual costs of nearly $25 million in
fiscal year 2007, topping $30 million a year in fiscal years 2009
and 2010.
In late 2005, Fletcher Allen Health Care completed its Renaissance
Project, which included a new outpatient care facility and a joint
medical education center with the University of Vermont College
of Medicine. A new inpatient psychiatry unit opened in October.
Twenty-eight beds are available for patients in more than 20,000
square feet of space, replacing the previous facilities.
Pamela Berard
|
