County Commits $3.1M For Privatized Mental Institutionalization

(July 1) The county board of supervisors last week approved contracts in the aggregate amount of $3,126,568 with four companies for the provision of what is referred to as “institution for mental disease services” for the current fiscal year running from July 1, 2014 through June 30, 2015.
According to Casonya Thomas, the director of the county’s behavioral health department, Braswell Enterprises, Inc. doing business as Sierra Vista; Shandin Hills Rehabilitation Center, Inc. doing business as Shandin Hills Behavioral Therapy Center; Vista Pacifica; and Golden State Health Centers, Inc./Sylmar Health and Rehabilitation Center are to provide “programs of organized therapeutic activities designed to improve functional living and social skills to severely mentally ill clients. The department of behavioral health will refer severely mentally ill clients to receive institution for mental disease services at a predetermined bed rate. The standard daily basic bed rates for institution for mental disease services are determined by the California Department of Health Care Services and vary by region, with bed rates ranging from $162.83 to $316.50. The cost per client is difficult to determine as the bed type/bed rate varies based upon the individual psychiatric needs of the client and the type of treatment required. The department of behavioral health anticipates the four institution for mental disease contracted service providers will provide one or more bed types/bed rates with an estimated number of 12,962 bed days in 2014-15.”
Thomas continued, “Included within the aggregate amount for institution for mental disease services are ancillary charges related to the client’s psychiatric needs to include psychotropic medications, psychotropic prescriptions, and lab work necessary as a result of psychotropic medication being prescribed at a daily rate of $50 per client.”
The department of behavioral health provides mental health and substance use disorder services to county residents who are experiencing major mental illness and substance use disorders. An integral part of the service delivery system consists of providing specialized treatment services to the seriously mentally ill population.
“The department of behavioral health operates a continuum of care system that consists of county operated clinics and contracted service providers delivering a variety of mental health treatment services within each geographic region of the county,” Thomas said. “The highest level of care is a state hospital psychiatric unit; the next highest level of treatment is provided through an institution for mental disease. Institutions for mental disease are locked nursing facilities that provide specialized treatment services to the severely mentally ill population whose functioning level is too low to be maintained at a board and care facility or in the community.”
Braswell Enterprises, Inc and Shandin Hills Rehabilitation Center, Inc. are the only state licensed institution for mental disease services facilities in San Bernardino County. Vista Pacifica is the only state licensed institution for mental disease services facility in Riverside County.
Golden State Health Centers Inc./Sylmar Health and Rehabilitation Center is located in Los Angeles County.
The total amount for institution for mental disease services for 2014-15 has been established at $3,126,568. Each contract has been written on a fee-for-service basis not to exceed this amount.

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