State health officials Thursday updated lawmakers on their plan to improve care at the Montana State Hospital and to apply for federal recertification in roughly 18 months.
Health officials expect the facility to be $38 million over budget this year as it deals with a heavy dependence on traveling staff and the loss of federal funding. The federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services pulled certification following patient deaths, blocking Medicaid and Medicare reimbursements from flowing to the state hospital.
Diane Rafferty with the consulting firm Alverez and Marsal listed several recommendations to help the state hospital work toward recertification. Among them is closing down what’s known as the Spratt unit, which serves elderly patients with severe mental health conditions.
“When you look at the facility in Lewiston for the nursing care center, it’s built for and could maybe improve the care delivery if we move those Spratt patients to the nursing care center.”
Rafferty also noted that the Spratt unit building would need substantial repairs in order to be recertified by CMS. Rafferty added that the state needs to reduce its overall dependence on the state hospital to take care of people with mental health conditions. The hospital serves as the only psychiatric hospital for adults in the state.
“This is a lofty goal, but it is very important for your state and the citizens you serve to look at, what is a regional health care delivery system?”
The state health department is asking lawmakers to approve Gov. Gianforte’s $300 million budget request to reform the state’s behavioral health system. Health department director Charlie Brereton told lawmakers he envisions utilizing a little over $100 million of that behavioral health reform fund to build two regional mental health centers to provide care for up to 100 patients.
Those centers would provide a higher level of care than community mental health services can provide, while utilizing state hospital beds for patients who need the highest level of mental health care.
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Courtesy Montana State Hospital/Montana State HospitalState health officials have removed two top leaders at the Montana State Hospital (MHS), according to a watchdog group. A new interim administrator is overseeing the facility. -
Aaron Bolton/Patient injuries, abuse, and neglect have continued at the Montana State Hospital since the state-run psychiatric facility lost its federal certification due to preventable patient deaths. But state officials won’t release details, citing laws making those reports confidential.
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Courtesy Montana State Hospital/Montana State HospitalA bill that would increase independent oversight of the Montana State Hospital passed the Senate on Tuesday.
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Courtesy Montana State Hospital/Montana State HospitalThe state’s only psychiatric hospital for adults has been discharging patients to homeless shelters with no plan for care and sometimes without medications, according to a report from a designated watchdog group.
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DPHHS/The amended agreement with Alvarez & Marsal went into effect Oct 1.
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Shaylee Ragar/Montana Public RadioGov. Greg Gianforte on Thursday gave a preview of a proposed budget he’ll unveil in full this week, saying it would provide historic tax cuts and investments in services for Montana.
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Health officials estimate the state will lose $25 million if the state hospital doesn’t receive federal certification within the next two years.
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Montana State Hospital Culture and Climate Survey https://dphhs.mt.gov/assets/Facilities/MontanaEFDAssessmentClimateandCultureSurveyExecSummary.pdfA climate and culture survey of workers at the Montana State Hospital published last week found that toxic management is among the top reasons people intend to leave their jobs.
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The Montana State Hospital’s top administrator Kyle Fouts will no longer oversee operations starting May 9. The change comes after federal officials pulled funding at the Warm Springs facility due to patient safety issues.
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Courtesy Montana State Hospital/Montana State HospitalState health officials say they have signed a contract with a Helena-based consulting firm to address patient safety issues at the Montana State Hospital. The federal government pulled funding for the hospital this week citing safety problems that resulted in patient deaths.
