The ADAMHS Board of Cuyahoga County is holding a special meeting today at 3:30 p.m. to address the pending closure of the St. Vincent Charity Medical Center Psychiatric Emergency Department. They will vote on a resolution to provide $4,447,412 in funding for calendar year 2023. 
The meeting will be held in the Ohio Room at the ADAMHS Board Offices, located on the 6th floor of 2012 West 25th St., Cleveland, OH 44113. Free parking is available in the lot behind the building off of West 25th Street.
The meeting will also be live-streamed. But sometimes there are issues with the audio. A link is available on the Board’s website: adamhscc.org/Home/Component…
This is the resolution the Board will vote on. Many unanswered questions remain. It’s unclear if the proposed expenditure will be in addition to $3,777,000 that St. Vincent Charity Medical Center already receives in annual funding from the ADAMHS Board. adamhscc.org/home/showpubli…
Where is this money coming from? Does the ADAMHS Board have a surplus? Is this being funding by Cuyahoga County’s Health & Human Services Levy? Will Cuyahoga County Council use $4,447,412 from their #ARPA slush fund to keep the St. Vincent Charity Psychiatric Emergency Room open.
Is there a long-term plan to keep the Psychiatric Emergency room open beyond calendar year 2023? It should be noted that city & county leaders never held a community meeting to discuss residents’ concerns.
Stay tuned for updates.
ADAMHS Board members are discussing the resolution.
The CEO from St. Vincent Charity Medical Center was the only person who made a public comment at the beginning of the meeting.
@ADAMHSBoardCC members asked a few questions & then unanimously approved the resolution. Dr. Julia Brunner from @metrohealthCLE is making a public comment. She talks about how critical their relationship is with St. Vincent Charity Medical Center.
Cleveland City Councilman Charles Slife is making a public comment. @ADayInTheSlife says many lives will be affected by this.
Councilman @ADayInTheSlife said @CleCityCouncil will hold a special meeting next Thursday at 9:30 am to discuss these issues.
This was the audience at the beginning of the meeting. More people showed up during the meeting. At least 50 people were there by the end.
I have a lot to say about what happened. I made a public comment at the end of the meeting. I asked some obvious questions that were not addressed during the meeting. I also made some critical comments about how the Board has responded.
Some my questions were answered but there wasn’t much explanation. Audience members approached me after the meeting & said they were also confused & had questions.
I asked if the $4.4 million was in addition to $3.3 million in annual funding that St. Vincent's traditionally gets from the ADAMHS Board. I asked where the money was coming from. Is it additional health & human services levy money from Cuyahoga County?
Or is there a surplus left over from the ADAMHS Board’s budget? Or did county council find $4.4 million in their slush funds to help pay for this? ⬅️ I really asked that & some Board members grinned. Finally, I said it was not clear whether St. V’s inpatient beds will remain.
The last question was arguably the most important & it was ignored. The money is coming from the ADAMHS Board’s existing Health & Human Services funding.
It is NOT $4.4 million plus $3.3 million. St. V’s is just getting about $1.1 million more in 2023.
It is NOT $4.4 million plus $3.3 million. St. V’s is just getting about $1.1 million more in 2023.
Earlier in the meeting the ADAMHS Board’s CEO said they DID NOT “defund” St. Vincent Charity Medical Center’s psychiatric emergency room. They wanted to make sure everybody knew that. In other words, don’t blame us for this fiasco.
I’m not going to waste my time sharing my critical comment or the ADAMHS Board’s response because it was met with the typical gaslighting & deflection I’ve experienced during the last 7 years while working on police reform.
CLARIFICATION‼️: Yesterday it was not clear whether St. Vincent Charity Medical Center Psychiatric Emergency Department would still admit people. They will not have ANY in-patient beds. EMS will not transport people there. They will only provide 23-hour observation & assessment.
At the meeting, ADAMHS Board CEO Scott Osiecki said the contract will be for crisis stabilization observation assessment & discharge planning for those who come into the department. On November 15, there will be NO MORE inpatient beds.
ADAMHS Board CEO Scott Osiecki said:
— In 2021, there were 3,172 psychiatric ER visits.
— About 25% required hospitalization.
— 44% were able to return home.
— More than 30% of the patients seen were already connected to the community mental health system.
— In 2021, there were 3,172 psychiatric ER visits.
— About 25% required hospitalization.
— 44% were able to return home.
— More than 30% of the patients seen were already connected to the community mental health system.
— Almost 50% of patients are brought by police officers
— 29% of referrals come from family members
— Only about 10% arrive by ambulance
EMS cannot bring people to a facility that does not have in-patient beds due to “medical clearance.” A healthcare worker could better explain.
— 29% of referrals come from family members
— Only about 10% arrive by ambulance
EMS cannot bring people to a facility that does not have in-patient beds due to “medical clearance.” A healthcare worker could better explain.
‼️CLARIFICATION‼️
An earlier tweet🐥 said St. Vincent Charity Medical Center Psychiatric Emergency Department would receive $1.1 million more than last year. In actuality, the difference is about $700,000.
— 2022 budget = $3,777,000
— 2023 budget = $4,447,412
An earlier tweet🐥 said St. Vincent Charity Medical Center Psychiatric Emergency Department would receive $1.1 million more than last year. In actuality, the difference is about $700,000.
— 2022 budget = $3,777,000
— 2023 budget = $4,447,412
In my opinion, this is just a “band-aid” to address the problem. It’s unclear if this will be sustainable beyond 2023. The ADAMHS Board has hired a consultant to help them evaluate the current crisis continuum of care.
UPDATE: The Cleveland City Council Health, Human Services & the Arts Committee will meet on Thursday, October 20 at 9:30 a.m. to receive an update from St. Vincent Charity Medical Center & the ADAMHS Board on the continuation of emergency psychiatric care. cityofcleveland.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&…
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