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DPC Task Force » News » News Release

Saturday November 17, 2007

DPC Task Force Hears Agency’s Plan of Correction and Reviews Details of Funding for State Mental Health Programs

Wilmington – When the Governor’s Task Force on the Delaware Psychiatric Center (DPC) met Friday November 16th, DPC Deputy Director Susan Robinson was scheduled only to provide an update on an agency plan to fix issues that were detailed in a September 2007 Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) survey. Instead, Robinson released the entire plan of correction and read a letter dated that day from CMS saying that most of the 21 page document had just been accepted.

Wanting to give Task Force members a chance to review the document, DPC Task Force co-Chair Rita Landgraf asked Robinson to attend the November 30th meeting of subcommittee #1 to discuss it more in detail.

The Corrective Action plan details actions that the DPC administration and staff will undertake to address issues cited in the CMS survey. The plan includes clarifications and upgrades to DPC policy, training, accountability, data gathering and statistical information analysis.

Examples of improvements include clarifying policy on time limits to the use of restraints and seclusion for patients. The document explains that the use of restraints can only be employed for four (4) hours at a time before being reviewed by a physician, and that they cannot be used for more than 24 consecutive hours. All DPC physicians and nurses are to be trained to ensure compliance with the policy.

Another move to increase and ensure patient safety is the removal of any staff member involved in allegations of injury, abuse or neglect from patient care on the unit. The plan goes on to clarify the time frame for initiating and completing an investigation into any incidents and a detailed plan for follow up to ensure recommendations or findings have been implemented.

Additionally, the corrective action plan details that all patients’ medical records must include ongoing detailed information on treatment plans, physicians orders, medication, change in status and evaluations. It further outlines requirements for staff training and responsibility for daily chart audits. The plan also calls for the Performance Improvement Department to monitor a variety of treatment and treatment areas, as well as review and analyze the data.

During the three hour Task Force meeting, members also heard testimony from Noel Mazade, Executive Director of the NASMHD Research Institute (a non profit agency that compiles data on State mental health programs). Mazade provided detailed information on Delaware’s spending related to mental health programs compared to other states as well as national averages.

He provided a chart which showed that Delaware is in the middle of all states when it comes to how much is spent per capita on Mental Health Services. However, noting that Delaware’s figures do not include Medicaid spending, he agreed with co-chair Peter Ross’s assessment that Delaware could be ranked higher in dollars spent.

Based on data showing that the State spends more than the national average for community placement options, Mazade says he believes that Delaware “provides a great deal of conscious effort to provide community support services” and that the state is geared toward a philosophy of recovery.

Mazade also provided a chart showing that state funding for state hospitals decreased significantly in Delaware between FY ’01 to ’05 (-16%) while nationally it increased (22%). However, in the last year data was available (’04 – ’05) state funding for state hospitals was actually slightly greater in Delaware than the national average.

Later when asked in an interview about the level of funding for mental health programs in the state, co-chair Rita Landgraf said, “there seems to be a blip in the funding levels, but what we’re interested in finding out is how funding impacts quality of care. Quality care for these individuals needs to be kept paramount in our minds.”

Brad Meier, DPC’s Director of Professional Services, provided information on the agecy’s methods of treatment, saying that they focus on interactive, patient centered treatment, with the goal of working toward recovery. He was asked to come back and provide further information to subcommittee 1’s meeting on November 30th.

Landgraf distributed letters containing recommendations to enhance and improve the investigative process concerning allegations of patient abuse and/or neglect that were provided to her by the Delaware Victim’s Rights Task Force and the Developmental Disabilities Council

During the public comment portion of the meeting, members of NAMI-Delaware spoke to the Task Force about several issues of concern. They spoke in support of recommendations to reduce the use of seclusion and restraints, the need for a new DPC facility and the need for outside access to and monitoring of all allegations of patient abuse and/or neglect. They voiced their appreciation that the Task Force has been looking specifically at these issues.

The next series of DPC Task Force subcommittee meetings scheduled are: Subcommittee 4, Monday November 19th 8:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. in the Training Rooms of the Springer Bldg. to take public comment on the need for a new DPC facility; Subcommittee 1, Friday November 30th 8:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. in the same location and Subcomittee 3 from 1 – 4 p.m. also in that location.

Members of the public are invited to attend, and are urged to continue checking the DPC Task Force website for updates. The website is available at www.dpctaskforce.delaware.gov.

Governor Minner created the nine-member DPC Task Force on August 17 to examine opportunities for continued improvement at the DPC. The group is charged with reviewing key areas of the DPC and its operations and making recommendations regarding hiring procedures, training, professional development opportunities for staff, and potential designs for a new facility.

The Task Force is due to make recommendations to Governor Minner no later than December 15, 2007.






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 - Ms. Rita M. LandgrafMedia Contact  - Ms. Andrea Summers
Last Updated: Tuesday, 20-Nov-2007 09:50:45 EST
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