Mental health employees discuss pros and cons of area services

Jan. 16--Otter Tail, Becker, Clay, and Wilkin counties representatives for mental health met Thursday to discuss what is going well and what can be improved.

Minnesota's Department of Human Services Commissioner Lucinda Jesson held and lead the roundtable discussion in order to understand what deserves special recognition for the area when reporting back to state legislators. The meeting gave Jesson a chance to hear directly from people working in mental health services in Otter Tail County, and the atmosphere at the meeting was very welcoming overall, she said.

"I am fortunate to have these opportunities to hear from you directly," Jesson told the attendees.

Tens of topics were brought up during the discussion but the first thing discussed was the strengths of the mental health services in the region. After several smaller groups were formed among the roughly 50 representatives, Jesson summarized that collaborative efforts in this region work well. Different counties and the state borders don't stop interaction, and providers of mental health services are knowledgeable about where patients could go to get services, she said. Not to mention the specialists in the area are well educated and peer certified. Also, newer social clubs opening in Wilkin and Becker counties have proven successful for patients who need a more open approach to understanding their needs and getting them treatment.

After the positives for the region, the noticeable gaps in the area's ability to accommodate patients were mentioned. Jesson said afterward that many of the issues mentioned in this session were also mentioned at previous meetings. Representatives from the region noted that waiting lists to get into hospital care or psychiatric care from a facility are always long. This problem stems from a lack of rooms, wards and beds in the facilities. Also addressed was the massive amount of transportation needed. Many patients need to travel far for care. Because of the hassle of traveling distances, a majority of patients never seek care for their ailments or they are constantly moving around.

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