County struggles with lack of mental health services

March 15--BLOOMINGTON -- Twin City police and fire departments are using more resources to respond to an increasing number of mental health calls at a time local hospitals also are struggling with similar increases.

Bloomington and Normal fire chiefs joined police leaders Friday at a meeting of the McLean County Board's needs assessment advisory committee.

Bloomington Fire Chief Mike Kimmerling said officers went to 700 mental health calls last year.

"This is just the tip of the iceberg of what we deal with on a daily basis for people with mental health issues," said Kimmerling.

Normal Police Chief Mick Humer reported 400 calls last year.

Greg Scott, director of McLean County Area EMS System, told the group that "this are the acute side of the prevention side not being there," referring to cuts in local mental health services.

As more first responders spend hours on mental health calls, the likelihood increases for a shortage of officers for calls, said Scott.

Normal Police Chief Rick Bleichner said about 2,000 mental health-related calls are handled by his officers.

Bloomington Assistant Chief Ken Bays termed the agency's data as "very, very under-reported."

He said his department handled 80 mental health calls in 2013, a number "that could be three or four times higher."

Emergency rooms also struggle to care for higher numbers of mental cases.

Ken Natzke, chief operating officer with OSF St. Joseph Medical Center, said limited access to counseling services was an issue for 25 percent of those living in poverty in the Twin Cities, according to a health needs assessment.

Patients in the emergency room have lengthy waits for a response from the Center for Human Services crisis team, said Natzke.

Reductions in crisis team members are behind the delays.

Renee Donaldson with Advocate BroMenn Medical Center in Normal said its 17-bed unit does not always fill the in-patient mental health needs of the community.

A shortage of psychiatrists also causes delays in care, she said.

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