Flashpoint #3
Why would it be important to retain these acute care mental
health beds at the local level? Or does it really matter?Who would you call to find immediate help?
Could you try to use KCH-, based on what you learned by reading the background and Activists Statements (PDF listed for reading along with this attachment)?
Do you think that it’s necessary to have a comprehensive system to deal with problems like this?
Should it be the responsibility of the community to provide it? Should a local hospital like KCH be required to provide short-term inpatient MH behavioral services even though it is very unprofitable (think millions a year to maintain the unit)? Why? A psychiatrist must admit patients to the MH unit.–should KCH be required to retain a staffed MH behavioral unit, even though there isn’t a psychiatrist in DeKalb County (other than those at the Ben Gordon Center) that will take Medicaid (a frequent source of payment for the MH inpatient unit in years past)?