Shortage of Providers and Beds Creates a Crisis in Mental Health Care

Alabama is Ranked 50th in Mental Health

By mArti WeBB slAy

It’s no secret that Alabama is facing a shortage of resources and beds for mental health patients. The repercussions of that shortage are being felt in a variety of ways.

“The lack of state beds for committed patients is putting a lot of pressure on mental health facilities,” said Amy Gillott, BSN, Service Line Director at Decatur Morgan West Behavioral Medical Center. “On top of that, most psychiatrists are unwilling to do inpatient care, causing us to resort to telehealth which may not be as effective. This lack of providers is causing a lot of outpatient facilities opt out of the volume. It’s a multi-faceted issue, but when the state decreased its beds in 2015, it has had a ripple effect.

“We seek placement for patients using tele-screening in seven locations in the Huntsville system. We look for placement as far as Dothan, southeast Alabama, and Tennessee. We have a list we go down, and it’s amazing how many places are on diversion because their beds are full. Work on bed placement is ongoing.”

There’s also a shortage of providers to provide post-hospitalization care. “We try to make sure patients have follow-up care once they leave the hospital,” said Cayley Edmonds, MS, LPC-S, Clinical Services Manager at Decatur Morgan West Behavioral Medical Center. “The first 30 days after discharge are a precarious time, especially for someone experiencing suicidal issues. We work hard to ensure they have follow-up care, but one of the issues is that there aren’t enough outpatient providers to get people in to see someone in a reasonable amount of time. Psychiatrists are

(CONTINUED ON PAGE 4)