Vol. 19 No. 2 May 2005

Dear Reader,

In 2002, we warned that Virginia's fiscal crisis could quickly become a mental health crisis. Budget cuts in community service boards and state psychiatric hospitals were turning Centra Health and other private health care organizations statewide into safety nets for mental health patients. As state hospitals reduced the number of available beds, patients were ending up in our emergency department and becoming our responsibility.

Unfortunately, our warnings became reality. From 1995 to 2004, emergency department visits for psychiatric and substance abuse patients increased by 67 percent, emergency custody orders increased 144 percent and temporary detention orders increased 78 percent.

We take little solace in the fact that we are not alone. A recent survey by the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) shows a 50 percent increase nationwide in emergency department visits by people with psychiatric disorders and substance abuse problems. Sixty-seven percent of those surveyed attribute the increase to cuts in their state's health care, decreasing numbers of psychiatric beds and budget cutbacks. Sixty percent of the physicians reported that the increase in psychiatric and substance abuse patients has negatively impacted the visits by other patients to the emergency department.

Admissions from our emergency department to state hospitals nose-dived from 289 in 1995 to 20 in 2004. Communities could handle the cutbacks in state psychiatric beds if there was a corresponding increase in funding for services in the community. But with fewer and fewer resources, these patients become a placement problem. The ACEP survey notes that these patients are twice as hard to place as non-psychiatric patients.

We recognize that the Virginia Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services and community services boards are doing the best they can with the resources on hand. However, society cannot properly serve patients with psychiatric and substance abuse needs without adequate resources.

To your health,

William W. Semones
Vice President

Importance of protective factors
Preventing substance abuse by teens

Brent McCraw, M.Ed., Director, Pathways Treatment Center







In young adults
The power of positive thinking

Chris Muller, Ph.D., Clinical Psychologist, Adult Psychiatric Unit, Virginia Baptist Hospital, and
Pathways Treatment Center



Negative thinking is often faulty
 
 
Parents can help
Teen-agers and stress

Bruce M. James, Ed.S., Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Bridges Treatment Center
Sources of stress for teen-agers
 

 
Communication is key
Healthy teen relationships

Jason Captain, M.S., Licensed Professional Counselor, and Camilla Murnane, M.S.W., Therapist, Rivermont School, Roanoke