Butte Grand Jury more positive about behavioral health this time

Staff Reports
Posted: 06/30/2012 12:30:59 AM PDT

OROVILLE -- For the third time in four years, the Butte County Grand Jury has investigated the county's Department of Behavioral Health, and this year's review is substantially more positive.

In both 2008-09 and 2009-10, the Grand Juries reviewed the department and pointed out flaws related to internal staff communications, interaction of medical and other staff and other issues.

"Though serious challenges are yet to be faced, compared to the department examined two years ago, the Department of Behavioral Health is much improved," said the report released Friday.

The report said there is "evidence of significant improvement" in the management of the department due to the hiring of Anne Robin as department director. She was appointed in May 2010 by the Board of Supervisors.

Robin was not available Friday to discuss the jury's report.

The report said the staff appreciated Robin's "dedication and professionalism."

While the report is generally positive, it said the lack of "community-based long-term planning" for behavioral health has had a negative impact on the department.

The document praised the department for its coordination with other county departments in reaction to the state's criminal justice realignment program. In that program, many convicts who would have previously been in state custody are now county responsibility. The Sheriff's Office, the Probation Department, the Department of Employment and Social Services, Behavioral Health and others joined forces on the project.

The realignment is one of the areas cited by the Grand Jury report where the department will face financial challenges.

Behavioral health maintains a locked in-patient facility where individuals who are a threat to themselves or others or are gravely disabled can be held against their will for 72 hours for psychiatric evaluation.

Before a person is admitted to the psychiatric facility, they must receive a medical clearance through a hospital emergency room. The report said in some circumstances, a person can wait 24 hours before getting the medical check.

Also, the behavioral health team that has to do the initial psychiatric evaluation on a potential committal only works during regular business hours, which according to the report can cause serious delays in treatment.

http://www.chicoer.com/news/ci_20979063/butte-grand-jury-more-positive-about-behavioral-health