Also, losing continuing care beds could exacerbate an ongoing problem in which patients may get stuck on medical floors or in emergency rooms as they wait for continuing care beds to open up.
Colleen Doherty, executive board member of Service Employees International Union 509, which represents social workers and rehabilitation counselors who work for the Department of Mental Health, said she visited Quincy and Westborough this week and heard many concerns.
“We certainly support people living in less restrictive settings,” Doherty said. “But we really think placement of clients has to be done thoughtfully and carefully and based on the individual needs of each client and not rushed because there’s a need to cut the budget.”
Exactly right, Colleen. Thoughtful and carefully. Westborough wasn’t supposed to close until 2012, but let’s giddyap on this and get r’ done.
Of course, no worries, (right?)because there are allegedly going to be more “community options.” With service providers manning departments at the EOHHS….is anyone surprised? And the focus will be in their bottom line. The Pine Street Inn became a de-facto institution for the mentally ill back in the 1990’s…and we’re going right back down that road again.
What won’t surprise me is this. Given that we don’t have enough beds as it is..we will certainly see more stories like this (Wilmington social worker killed by client, etc.):
http://www.boston.com/news/loc…
And then the hand wringing will begin anew, with demands for beds.
The Globe also featured an article about “Mass lobbyists on pace to have a record year” – bring in $38 Million in the first half of the year. $38 million bucks in this vile economy to influence the government. Must be working.
http://www.boston.com/news/loc…
And we have millions for tax breaks for movie studios.
http://www.boston.com/news/loc…
If this isn’t “business as usual”- then what is? If special interest lobbying wasn’t working, they wouldn’t be spending like there’s no tomorrow. Unfortunately for some populations who need human services, there really may be no tomorrow.
This Democrat did not sign up for this. I am a Democrat because I believe, with ever fiber of my being, in social justice. I find this….to be a simply appalling state of affairs. With friends like this…who needs Republicans?
Unfortunately it seems thoughtfully, carefully and based on individual needs is a thing of the past. Why not….the individuals who require these services are the easiest to cut. They have no potent political influence. It would seem the only influence here, as you adequately state, are the non profit private service providers. They have plenty of money to lobby with. Why not…most of it comes from the taxpayers. Most of the non-profit private services providers are 95+% government funded (federal and state). Having former service providers manning EOHHS certainly helps there bottom line.
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p>Completely appalling. But it really is business as usual.