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Study shows delays in mental health care
Patients going through mental health crises can sometimes experience delays more than a day in Minnesota’s emergency rooms.
MINNESOTA, USA — Health experts say a new study confirmed what they already know: Some folks don’t get the care they need when they need it.
Delays in mental health services not only impact patients, but the systems that care for them, according to a study from the Minnesota Department of Health and Wilder Research.
Kristin Dillon, an associate director of research with Wilder, co-authored the study. Her team looked at 33 emergency departments around the state for two weeks last fall.
“The most common delays for discharge delays is lack of available bed space in a safe setting,” she said.
They found 18% of behavioral health patients who experienced transfer or discharge delays during the study, stayed on average 25 hours longer than necessary.
The top reason for those delays? About 60% of the time, an inpatient psychiatric bed wasn’t available.
“Those delays in the inpatient units are also causing a backlog in the emergency departments,” said Dillon.
“It’s a long term challenge that we are aware of the behavioral health system doesn’t always serve patients well,” Stefan Gildemeister, the State Health Economist with MDH. “Ultimately we want to help inform policy and funding changes.”
M Health Fairview’s Southdale Hospital in Edina was one of the hospitals who participated in the study.
Their emergency room is set up differently than most. Their EmPATH unit serves as an extension of the ER, and is built specifically for people going through mental health crises.
“It’s calm, it’s quiet,” said Dr. Rich Levine, the outpatient adult medical director for mental health and addiction services. “The lighting is just right to help de-escalate and allows people to come in and not have the pressures of the emergency room. On top of that there’s therapists, mental health nurses, mental health associates psychiatrists.”
Levine and his colleagues say their unique model could be part of the solution.
“We’re able to discharge 90% of our patience to less restrictive levels of care,” said Michelle Snyder, the system director triage and transition.
Snyder said that means they’re able to keep people out of those backlogged and expensive inpatient beds.
They say investment in those inpatient services is only part of the solution.
“Early intervention is key for people’s long-term stability,” said Snyder.
“I think the study shows there are multiple reasons why the system is starting to, well, I shouldn’t say starting to, has been failing for some time,” said Levine.
If you or someone you know is facing a mental health crisis, there is help available from the following resources:
Crisis Text Line – text “MN” to 741741 (standard data and text rates apply)
Crisis Phone Number in your Minnesota county
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988, Talk to Someone Now
Throughout Minnesota call **CRISIS (**274747)
The Trevor Project at 866-488-7386
MINNEAPOLIS — How much do you know about your grandma’s upbringing?
“The Stories From My Grandmother’s Hands” is a book that aims to show young Black children how their grandmas lived through beautiful illustrations and descriptions.
KARE 11 News at Noon shared more on Thursday about the impact that this book will have.
Gary Peterson and his friends are collecting donations to help people in their community.
ST. LOUIS PARK, Minn. — A St. Louis Park pumpkin display is raising money for their local food shelf.
Gary Peterson started carving and painting three pumpkins over a decade ago. It’s now grown to over 100.
“I’ve heard people say they’ve come from Hutchinson,” he said.
Peterson along with two of his neighbors have spent the last 14 years growing their display, turning it into a neighborhood event.
“It’s been incredible, I just can’t believe how much this has expanded,” he said. “We did it just because we like to and then people were asking to give us money to cover the cost.”
The trio refused to take people’s money, but then one of them had an idea.
“My neighbor, Steve Leensvaart, just mentioned how about we just do it for the STEP program and the STEP program is our local food shelf in St. Louis Park,” he said.
So, they started to collect donations to help families in need. They’ve raised hundreds of dollars and donated hundreds of pounds of food over the last few years, carving for a cause.
“It is more gratifying every year,” Peterson said.
He estimated they have over 100 unique pumpkins in their yard. They’ve created the displays and come up with new family-friendly concepts for people to enjoy. Peterson said about 30 of their neighbors carved their own pumpkins to be put on display, and it’s been a big hit.
“It’s great. In the last couple of years, it’s turned into more of a neighborhood event,” said Sarah Durch.
“We love this Halloween display, we come every year to see it. We love that the whole community gets involved to craft and carve the pumpkins,” said Jami Gordon-Smith.
“The shading and the details are unbelievable,” said Elizabeth Hanson.
Hanson hopes to take her 2-year-old son trick or treating for the first time but is worried the cold temperatures might keep them indoors.
“We’re going trick or treating hopefully,” she said. “He’s going to be a firefighter, but we’re probably going to have sweatshirts maybe like two pairs of sweatpants underneath. We’re going to be bundled up.”
Gordon-Smith said her family will be out Halloween night no matter the weather.
“Halloween only comes once a year, so you really have to take advantage and enjoy the evening no matter what the weather brings,” she said. “Guess it’s not totally unheard of in Minnesota to have a cold Halloween, but we are going to try and modify and do a lot of layers underneath our costumes and then we might add some hats and maybe some warmer socks.”
Durch also isn’t surprised they’re in for another chilly night.
“Well, what would Halloween be without Minnesota cold? I feel like every time you plan a costume you have to plan for how you can make this work if it’s snowing,” she said.
Peterson said they will have a bonfire and some hot chocolate and cider on Halloween to keep trick-or-treaters warm while they look at their pumpkins.
Click here to learn where you can see the pumpkins and how you can donate.
Jeremy Jourdain was 17 when he was last seen on Halloween 2016.
BEMIDJI, Minn. — The search for Jeremy Jourdain, who was last seen on Halloween in 2016, continues now eight years later.
Jourdain was last seen at a family member’s house in Bemidji, according to the U.S. Department of the Interior Indian Affairs. He left the residence near the 500 block of Wood Avenue after midnight and while people followed him, no one was able to find him.
Jourdain was 17 at the time.
Officials said he was wearing a blue and grey sweatshirt, and blue jeans when last seen. He is Native American and is described as 6 foot 5 and 175 pounds.
If you have any information on his whereabouts, you can contact the Bemidji Police Department at (218) 333-9111. Tips can also be sent to 1-833-560-2065, or you can email ojs_mmu@bia.gov.
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