Ruidoso shooting highlights mental health care gaps

June 04--A recent fatal shooting in Ruidoso highlighted the confusion in the community about available services and how to handle people with mental health issues.

Members of the family of Elizabeth Jones, the woman who called for help from police and then witnessed the death of her son, wrote letters to public officials, reached out to the newspaper and contacted the governor's office to detail the "flawed system" she encountered.

Nephew Shawn Dobberfuhl, a fire fighter-paramedic in Chicago, said this week that after much pressure, his aunt was placed in a facility in Las Cruces, but officials there want to release her. He previously wrote State Rep. Zach Cook, a Republican from Lincoln County, detailing his aunt's situation. Cook could not be reached for comment.

Dobberfuhl wrote that Jones, who worked as a nurse when healthy, was on the verge of mental and physical breakdown.

"She's receiving some help," he said. "My mother and uncle were able to get her in there before they had to come back home."

But two days after they returned to Illinois, facility officials were saying she was fine. The family turned for help from the governor's office, he said Wednesday.

"We suspect they don't have a proper diagnosis and that the medication she's taking (prescribed before the shooting incident) may not even be the right one," he said. "We don't know. We're trying to get her help where eventually she could be on her own. They just want to release her. She has no place to go. All of her family is in the Chicago area. We want to get her back here, but at the same time, things need to be in place. Her care needs to be transferred. But they want to dump her out on the street or at the airport."

His mother described her sister's previous living condition as "squalor," something people should have noticed. She wrote that Jones was in the hospital as much as three times in a week during the past year.

Al Santos, Lincoln County Medical Center administrator, said, "We evaluate every patient who visits (LCMC) with a medical or behavioral health emergency and provide any necessary stabilizing treatment. If there is a behavioral health emergency, a patient may need to be admitted to an in-patient behavioral health facility or may be referred for follow-up care with a behavioral health provider in the community.

"Lincoln County Medical Center continues to pursue ways of bringing more behavioral health resources to our patients through initiatives such as telemedicine and partnerships with community-based behavioral health providers."

Jones' sister accused Adult Protective Services of "dropping the ball," writing that, "After seeing the living conditions of that home and the condition of Elizabeth, it is unbelievable that they did nothing and could walk away."

According to a release from the New Mexico Aging and Long-Term Services Department under which APS falls, state law requires anyone who suspects abuse, neglect or exploitation of adults who are unable to protect themselves, to report that possibility to the Adult Protective Services Division, which is charged with investigating such allegations. The toll-free hot line number is 1-866-654-3219.

In fiscal year 2014, Adult Protective Services investigated 6,665 cases of suspected adult abuse, neglect, or exploitation, mostly elderly, and 43 percent living alone, according to the agency's most recent report. More than 1,600 adults received a protective service intervention following an investigation, according to the statement. Gov. Susana Martinez proclaimed June as Adult Abuse Awareness Month in New Mexico to raise awareness about adult abuse and how to report suspected cases.

For New Mexicans who need help, either for themselves or someone they know, they also can call the New Mexico Crisis and Access Line 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 1-855-NMCRISIS (1-855-662-7474) to speak with a counselor and find a nearby provider.

Services provided

Ruidoso over the last few years lost two centers that specialized in counseling, but new entities are stepping forward to fill those gaps.

"That's why we started the Lincoln County Community Assistance Program" under Presbyterian Healthcare Services and the Lincoln County Medical Center, Director James Martin said. The program offers professional counseling for families and individuals in emotional and mental health crises.

"Basically, what Misty McArthur does, anyone living in Lincoln County gets five free visits with Misty (a licensed clinical social worker)," he said. "They call (1-800-888-3689) and it's 24/7. There is a special line for Lincoln County residents. They do a special intake, make an appointment with Misty, who will help them bring their stress down. She does good brief therapy with them, but if they need longer term help, Misty is the resource person. She'll case manage that and get them where they need to be, to the help they need. That gives them the information they need. Most people go to the (hospital emergency room). They don't know where else to go. We have all the resources available to them and Misty culls through that, finds out their real issue."

Martin is a licensed clinical counselor and also heads the Heritage Program, a geriatric intensive outpatient behavioral health program.

Several private therapists operate in Lincoln County, but the community assistance program can find the resources for those who cannot pay, he said, adding that McArthur also knows how to find in-patient placement, when needed.

"We have brochures all over the hospital and are constantly doing in-services, but it's possible someone didn't give (Jones) the referral," Martin said. "But they are supposed to."

The community assistance program was the brain child of Al Santos three years ago, Martin said. The county is ahead of the game in organizing a patient health system, he said.

"We know that 60 percent to 70 percent who wind up in the ER have stress-related issues that you are not going to see on a CT scan," Martin said. "If we can get them with Misty, she can teach them how to cope with their stress and refer them, if it is a longer term issue. It's hard to wrap your brain around that this little community has something like this."

The Lincoln County Community Health Council on which Martin serves also just put out a Health and Wellness Guide with a list of all behavioral health services available locally, and places for people who need food or other resources. Copies of the guide are available at the ENMU-Ruidoso campus and at Lincoln County Medical Center.

Presbyterian Medical Services is scheduled June 29, to transition into handling services previously offered by La Frontera counseling center in Ruidoso, Southern Region Director Rex Wilson said PMS currently provides behavioral health services in 15 New Mexico counties and is developing a plan to increase PMS's level of service to include Lincoln County with a satellite Community Mental Health Center license, providing needed services such as therapy, medication management, crisis management, community support services and psychosocial rehabilitation.

Read the families letters to the Ruidoso News and Rep. Zach Cook in their entirety on the opinion page, A4.

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