....So I don’t get it, if you were at a hospital with an operation – with operating room not having the money to sterilize the scalpel and instrumentation –you would expect everyone with a license to report the problem to the state authorities –let alone the threat a huge legal suit.
So I don’t have to much faith in the staff members, the nurses, doctors, bureaucrats, CEO and board of directors, who knowingly sit back not reporting life threatening deficiencies in their faculties. I am a little tired with the- I am just trying to do my job -in an environment of life threatening resources squeeze –with nobody having the courage to raise hell.
I can say that across the board –I never seen a more unconscionable group of educated people, as in the human service industry –where they tolerate such inhuman treatment of their patients for the sake of their jobs.
Article published Mar 10, 2005
Missing point on mental health
An article in the Herald dated Feb. 18, indicates that many are still taking bites out of the cute and harmless "Crazy for You" bear. I don't know if it is a peculiarly American trait or if we just raise it to an art form: grab onto a simplistic symbol or an inaccurate sound bite, blow it out of proportion and make it the focus of anger and debate, thereby missing the big picture.
I continue to struggle with mental illness, and I have received treatment in the Rutland area. Several years ago while participating in a treatment program at Rutland Mental Health, it was apparent that a dedicated management and staff were working very hard to provide optimum patient care on an inadequate budget. While at the Rutland Regional Medical Center for stabilization, I observed patients whose options for extended or follow-up care were severely limited by availability and affordability. A number of these patients had no choice but to return to the same situations that had exacerbated their conditions in the first place. In both of these cases the caregivers were dedicated, and the patients were trying hard. There are simply large gaps in mental health programs. Isn't this a better reason for discussion, anger and action than a toy?
If you want to discuss corporate business ethics, sensitivity and connection to communities, may I suggest you focus on whether companies treat their employees with respect by providing living wage, adequate and affordable health care and reasonable retirement benefits?
If you need a research project, may I suggest you investigate whether possible changes in Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid or other components of the social safety net may make an already tenuous mental health situation even worse.
To focus attention on a stuffed bear presented for sale with tongue firmly planted in check is akin to criticizing the color of the life boats on the Titanic while ignoring the fact there are too few of them.
LEONARD M. POWERS Jr.
Rutland Herald
Article published Mar 10, 2005
VSEA wants mental health change in jails
MONTPELIER — The union for Vermont's government workers is calling for mental health services in Vermont's prisons to be performed by state workers rather than a private contractor.
The Vermont State Employees' Association's proposal, which is expected to be unveiled later this week, charges that the private company that has the contract is not performing adequately and might be charging too much.
An economic analysis by the association found that the company, run by Dr. Paul Cotton, is getting nearly $1.2 million in surplus profit over the three-year contract — in addition to the 11 percent profit typical for Vermont health care providers.
The contract is for $5.1 million over that term.
"We feel delivery of services is not adequate," said Nicole Dewing, a lobbyist for VSEA who drafted the proposal.
Corrections officers, whom the union represents, are left to deal with mentally ill prisoners and are not given training the contractor is supposed to provide, Dewing said.
"Our members are very unhappy with services they provide to the inmates," she said. "Services are not prompt. (Officers) are left dealing with the mentally ill inmates … which they have not been trained for."
John Hollar, an attorney for Cotton, said that allegation is unsubstantiated.
"They have consistently done training at the facilities," he said.
Training needs to be balanced against the need for mental health services, but if the Department of Corrections asks for more training of officers it will get it, he said.
"We are not aware of any concern from the department on any lack of training," Hollar said. "There is an enormous need within the Corrections Department for patient care."
Last month, Cotton's Burlington-based company had 2,500 patient contacts with inmates, Hollar said.
"It's just an enormous volume of patients that they see," he said.
VSEA and its members are not the only ones who have had problems with the company. A 2004 audit by then-state auditor Elizabeth Ready found that the company and its predecessor had billed for services that were never provided. The company returned $143,000 in a settlement with the state.
Changes in the contract with the company cleared up those issues, which centered on whether the company was billing for a 40-hour work week or less than that, Hollar said. He is not aware of any other systemic billing issues between the company and the state, he said.
But some are not so sure.
Sen. Vincent Illuzzi, R-Essex-Orleans, said he first became aware of problems with mental health services in the prisons after an inmate's suicide.
"Prior to that, there had been all kind of warning sings," Illuzzi said.
Corrections officers, prisoners and inmate advocates all told him about widespread problems in mental health services, and he is still getting such calls, he said.
"What has changed is a reasonable question," Illuzzi said. "Why has the department continued to contract with the same provider when it was determined that payments were received and services not provided? It strikes me as (though), despite the investigation, nothing has substantially changed."
Robert Hofmann, who recently became commissioner of corrections, said he will study the mental health contract and how services are provided.
"This is an area that I am very interested in understanding more about," he said. "There are scores of issues, and there are probably a dozen or 15 top issues … I would put this as one of those I need to review and I am anxious to do so."
The questions about the mental health contract arise as another prison health contract is also generating controversy.
The New York Times recently ran stories on problems and alleged abuses by a for-profit company, Prison Health Services.
That company recently won a contract to provide health care in Vermont jails.
"We certainly are aware of the accusations in the New York Times report," Hofmann said.
The contract with Prison Health Services has a series of safeguards and oversight provisions, he said.
"We already were geared up to oversee this much more actively than any other contract I am aware of," he said.
Contact Louis Porter at louis.porter@rutlandherald.com.
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