Mental health officials work together to help area residents

Sept. 29--While different entities in Cherokee County have specific roles, their combined goal is to provide seamless mental health care for area residents.

"Cherokee County understands the importance of the relationship between ACCESS and Rusk State Hospital, and we have always worked together in this regard," said Cherokee County Court at Law Judge Janice Stone, who conducts hearings at the state hospital on a weekly basis.

"I feel having such a strong relationship helps to make our system work effectively," she said.

County Public Health executive director Chris Taylor agreed.

"We offer primary health care that includes the treatment of some mental health diagnoses, but we work in partnership with ACCESS to ensure that patients who have mental health needs are referred for the appropriate treatment," he said, describing the collaborative effort.

"Often, patients on medications to improve their mental health (find that) other parts of the body (are affected). For example, many medications used to treat depression and other illnesses, may lead to, or worsen diabetes. So, it helps to see the patient's needs from every angle," he said.

Both departments are funded annually through the Cherokee County budget, adopted Aug. 24 this year.

The Court at Law budget for 2015 is $50,500, less than the previous year's amount of $88,100. Annual budgeted amounts vary, as they are estimates based on activity going on at Rusk State Hospital, explained County Auditor L.H. Crockett.

Stone noted that the amount of cases heard by her court varies each year, comprised of temporary commitment hearings, renewal/extension hearings and medication hearings.

Since the beginning of the year, she has heard 350 cases, or approximately 44 hearings per month, at the state hospital, which -- according to Chris Van Deusen, press officer for the Texas Department of State Health -- serves mental health patients on civil and forensic commitments.

The Rusk facility has 325 beds, which are mostly filled, he noted. A Sept. 15 census of the facility showed 318 patients, of which 66 percent were forensic patients and 34 percent civil, he said.

The average length of stay for a patient varies, but Van Deusen said "the stay for forensic patients tends to be significantly longer than for civil patients."

Like the mental health budget, the budget for County Health also varies from year to year: In 2014, the budget was set at $290,000, while this year, the adopted budget for County Health was $308,000.

The increase incorporates new costs, such as "an increase in employee medical insurance, and new I.T. infrastructure to comply with state and federal contract requirements," Taylor said, adding, "it is important to note that a portion of the county's funding to the health department includes revenues that the health department generates for the provision of services."

Meanwhile, ACCESS Executive Director Ted Debbs commended the county for helping ACCESS programs run more smoothly as it serves clients.

"We work closely with Rusk State Hospital and local judges so that people have a place to go -- our county officials are very good about getting us in there to assess (an emergency situation), so that maybe someone doesn't have to get involved with the local police or sheriff's department or the court system," he explained.

ACCESS -- which stands for Anderson Cherokee Community Enrichment Services -- was established 20 years ago by the City of Jacksonville and Anderson and Cherokee counties, which "formed as a Community Mental Health and Mental Retardation Center under the auspices of a local Board of Trustees on Sept. 1, 1995," following the state's MHMR department decision to separate community services from host state hospitals and state schools, according to www.accessmhmr.org.

ACCESS continues its relationship with Rusk State Hospital, but now contracts services to meet the needs of clients, said Debbs.

Services include those for mental health treatment, developmental disabilities and substance abuse, as well as a program that offers universal prevention service to prevent child abuse and neglect, called the "STAR" program, according to the website.

"Right now, on the adult side, we do about 1,100 individuals, and about 225 on the kids' side, for mental health. On the intellectual disabilities side, we contract to serve probably about 300," he said.

Numbers are growing annually, and "it's almost surprising in a rural community that we have that increase every year for people who need our services. But I think it's because people are becoming aware of what we offer, and they're willing to accept they have a problem and decide to come to us for help," Debbs said.

ACCESS is funded approximately 70 percent from state contracts, with the remainder funded through private insurance, Medicaid and Medicare, Debbs said.

Taylor reiterated that the bond created through working together to serve the mental health needs of the county means "a win-win" situation for all.

"It benefits the community in many ways when government and the nonprofit sector work together. From improved outcomes to reduced costs, it becomes a win-win," he said. "CCPHD will be looking to work with any and all partners to improve our public health system.

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