IMHPAC: Adult Inpatient Subcommittee Minutes 10/06/2023

Inpatient Committee Meeting Minutes

  • Call to Order: 10:02 am
  • Present
    • Dennis Hopkins Chair, Shirley Davis, Michael Davis, Yetunde Johnson (DMH), Christina Smith (DMH)
  • Co-chair
    • We discussed the need for a co-chair. Michael Davis is interested.
  • Comment:
    • Dennis feels we are finally moving forward as a committee because we have members and direction.
  • Where are beds available?
    • Biggest issue we face as a committee is that people go to emergency rooms and remain for hours while staff is stuck looking for an open bed. Often, no intervention, no treatment area given when released from ER without treatment or follow up.
  • Letter to legislature.
    • We added some information about health care parity. Shirley will type up our next draft for next meeting.
    • We read and commented on letter to the legislature. Once we are satisfied with it, we will present the letter to the full council.
  • Comment
    • Problem the state helps foster the myth that people living with mental health issues are dangerous and cannot and should not be treated at regular facilities.
    • There are places and times for special units, but they should be reserved for those who are prone to violence.
    • There should not be a specific license to treat inpatients who have mental health challenges.
  • Possible solution
    • One solution might be to end the segregation of non-violent psychiatric patients and allow hospitals to admit them to regular beds. Patients should be allowed to be admitted to a regular bed in any hospital to normalize treatment.
  • Problem
    • Currently, hospitals have the right to exclude severely mentally ill patients due to them causing problems and not bringing them enough profit. They use exclusionary criteria to weed out those who have no insurance or are underinsured.
    • We will add to our letter a proposal for additional money be available for people to be admitted to regular beds if possible. If hospitals cannot prove there is a clear and present danger in a patient, they should not be allowed to turn them away or segregate them.
  • Elopement a problem?
    • Perhaps. However, no ward is 100% secure and most people who present with a mental health diagnosis are not a danger to anyone once they are admitted.
  • Eliminating Stigma
    • Stigma is sometimes created by mental health clients.
  • How do you eliminate stigma?
    • Question we ask every meeting.
      • Stop branding people. When people enter the ER or hospital, treat them as people first. Leave off the labels and give quality care to help them stabilize.
  • Mental health parity was discussed
  • Tabled
    • Discuss finding a psychiatric system that works such as Care, Compassion, Acceptance, Respect Industries (CCAR) in Charleston, Illinois (Michael Davis).
  • Public Remarks
    • None
  • Next meeting will be on December 1, 2023
  • Meeting dismissed - 11:01 am