The unkindest cuts: denial of mental health services would limit hospital care for all
By Ron Hollander and David Matteodo
On the morning of Wednesday, November 22, The Massachusetts Department of Mental Health officially refused to admit any more patients to its hospitals and units, denying care in the proper setting to chronically disabled patients.
Department of Mental Health Commissioner Beth Childs says this drastic action and the accompanying layoff of 170 DMH workers is part of her department’s response to cuts recently imposed on the agency by Governor Mitt Romney. Coming in the middle of the state’s fiscal year, the cuts will have a $14 million impact on an annualized basis. Commissioner Childs also says that in addition to barring new inpatient admissions to DMH facilities, her department will restrict access to residential programs.
After her announcement, Governor Romney’s office told the media that it will keep the doors open to new patients at DMH. Officials there say that they will look for other ways to cut the agency’s budget to achieve the same level of savings. Despite these statements, no official change has been communicated to health care providers. The ban is still in force. In any case, the Romney Administration still plans to deliver a drastic cut to an agency that can ill afford it.
People with severe mental illness often end up in hospital emergency departments and hospital inpatient units. Once they are treated and have physically recovered, these patients are often discharged to DMH facilities that are equipped to manage their special needs. These patients could pose a danger to themselves or to others if they cannot be discharged to an appropriate setting. Many of these patients will now be forced to stay in hospital inpatient units or private psychiatric hospitals. This will cause a general back-up that will limit hospital capacity for all patients.
Independent fiscal watchdogs and the chief budget writers in the Legislature have questioned the timing, necessity and severity of the overall package of cuts in state spending announced by Governor Romney earlier this month.
This is the time of year when we are all called upon to renew our commitment to the neediest and most vulnerable people among us. These are the unkindest cuts imaginable, and their timing is hard to fathom. We implore the Governor to restore these essential services to the people who depend on DMH.
Ron Hollander is president and CEO of the Massachusetts Hospital Association (www.mhalink.org), based in Burlington. David Matteodo is executive director of the Massachusetts Association of Behvioral Health Systems.
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