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Lee County is Recipient of $1 Million for Triage Center
Feb 19, 2008 COMMISSIONER BOB JANES, DISTRICT 1 PRESS RELEASE/COMMENTARY ARTICLE BY COMMISSIONER BOB JANES FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Commissioner Bob Janes, District 1, 533-2224 LEE COUNTY IS RECIPIENT OF $1 MILLION FOR TRIAGE CENTER It's fantastic when a good plan comes together for a really great cause. It's even better when that plan includes dedicated county workers, local and state government officials, and the private sector working together to form a successful private-public partnership. Governor Charlie Crist will award Lee County $997,698.72 over the next three years in an effort to help protect Florida's vulnerable citizens, promote strong, economically independent and healthy families, and to help families recover from addiction and mental illness. This means that my vision for a Triage Center/Low Demand Inebriate Shelter may now become a reality. This is exciting because throughout my political career, I have been bringing these vital issues before the Lee County Commission, the state Legislature and even lobbying in Washington, D.C. for better mental health care for our citizens. Now that this Triage Center is a on the horizon, I can proudly say that along with my team of dedicated Lee County citizens and employees, we really have made a positive change available for our citizens. Last February, I signed a resolution on behalf of the Lee County Public Safety Coordinating Council urging the Florida Legislature to fund the operational cost of health core services and a Triage Center. I asked for $3.6 million. We didn't get any of the funds we asked for, but in a time when budget belts are being tightened everywhere, we were however successful in obtaining a competitive grant of $1 million which will enable us to get started on our dream. Phase I of the Triage Center/Low Demand Shelter represents a partnership between Lee County Board of County Commissioners, Lee Mental Health Center; SW Florida Addiction Services (SWFAS); Lee Memorial Health System, the Salvation Army, and the United Way of Lee County. To show the need for the new Center, Lee County's Department of Human Services compiled mental health statistics on Lee County. The rate of jail admissions per capita is the highest since 1988. The average length of stay in the county jail increased by 20 percent during that same time, again illustrating that difficulties in the jail system are getting increasingly worse over time. Between 2001 and 2006 the jail experienced a 70 percent increase in the average daily population. Admissions grew 138 percent from 13,980 in 1988 to an anticipated 33,272 by the end of 2007. Jail data for the past three years shows that an average of 22,174 jail days per year were served by individuals committing the categories of low level crimes which may now be diverted from the criminal justice system to the Triage Center. An indicator of need for mental health services is the suicide rate. Although, Lee falls below the extreme numbers found in Dixie and Holmes counties in the Florida Panhandle; we nevertheless have one of the highest suicide rates in South Florida. Only Monroe County scores a higher rate. According to the Florida Vital Statistics Annual Report, out of 169,365 deaths in 2006, there were 2,410 suicides throughout the state, ranking suicide the 10th leading cause of death above homicide and HIV combined. Lee reports 95 total suicides in 2005. In 2006, according to the Florida Suicide Data report, there were 102 suicides in Lee County. That's a significant increase since 1996 when there were 67 reported suicides. Of course, population has increased more than 200,000 people too, which is another reason to provide health and mental health support for our growing number of citizens. The multi-service Triage Center will provide individuals experiencing a behavioral health crisis access to convenient, holistic treatment. Karen Hawes, Director of Human Services for Lee County, points out that, "the cost of untreated mental illness and substance abuse impacts multiple entities including jails and prisons, the healthcare system, and the child welfare system (7 in 10 cases of child abuse or neglect involve an adult with a substance abuse problem). Homeless individuals are known to need substance abuse treatment 9 to 10 times more often than other citizens." Without the Center, citizens in need of mental health care are endlessly cycled and recycled through the courts and prison systems. Lee County will save money by treating the health issues of the person in crisis. The Center can also save Lee County money and help local families by preventing children from entering foster care, preventing lost work and wages, and preventing the growing need for more and more jail beds. People in crisis will receive help to break the cycle of imprisonment, addiction and homelessness. The Center will serve as a single-access point for law enforcement to divert individuals who are in crisis and are at risk of being charged with a minor ordinance violation or low level offense such as open container, disorderly conduct, disturbing the peace, loitering/prowling or trespass. Law Enforcement may bring individuals to the center from 4:00 p.m. until midnight seven days a week on a no-refusal basis to be screened and referred to treatment and services. It is anticipated that the Triage Center will be operational in late April 2008. Once individuals who are brought to the Center are screened they may stay at the facility's Low Demand Shelter to sleep off intoxication while supervised by a nurse/case manager. The individual will then participate in an in-depth psychosocial assessment to identify their needs and treatment options. A treatment team will work with the individual to facilitate appropriate treatment and placement with existing community behavioral health services. In short, the Triage Center is the best answer to address Lee County's health and mental health needs and will save the taxpayers thousands of dollars. And now it is on its way to reality because of all the dedicated citizens and employees of Lee County.
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