By RUSSELL STIGALL
Bartlett’s proposed mental health facility may help bring Juneau’s youth home and improve outcomes in one $23 million stroke.
Many children and adolescents with complicated illness currently have to leave the state for treatment due to a lack of state-wide capacity, Bartlett CEO Shawn Morrow said.
The Bring the Kids Home Initiative documented around 400 to 500 of Alaska’s youth, ranging in age from 6- to 17-years old, have to leave the state annually for treatment of severe emotional disturbances, according to the Department of Health & Social Services.
“This [facility] solves a small part of that problem, I’m not going to tell you it solves it all, but this particular unit will be able to handle detoxification,” Morrow said.
Bartlett designed the facility to accommodate 10- to 14-day detoxification, but will not try to accommodate longer three- to 12-month residential chemical dependency treatment.
A local facility that provides detoxification services can avoid much of the anxiety level created for the youth that has to leave. It avoids the “financial hardship that is created the emotional duress that is created, the lack of the right environment for healing,” Morrow said. It allows treatment for the family along with the patient.
“It is not just the patient that goes into this unit and voila, they come out better. The family has to address and cope and participate in that healing process. The whole model breaks down from a quality of care standpoint when they have to leave,” Morrow said.
Bartlett chose to tackle child and adolescent mental health, because it taps into on the strengths of its current staff.
As reported previously in the Oct. 16 Empire (bit.ly/tyfAsi), Bartlett set aside $5 million last year and plans to have $10 million set aside from its operational budget by June 31, 2012. It plans to begin breaking ground on the $23 million facility sometime in late 2012 or 2013. The 16,532-square-foot facility would house 12 beds. Alaska currently has approximately 40 beds for similar youth services, Morrow said
Completion of the facility may hinge on funding Morrow calls “my wishful thinking.” That wish, Morrow told the Chamber, is to procure $10 million from Juneau’s sales tax revenue.
“We are hopeful, and there is a long long long line of people looking at that sales tax, including people who want to put back in their pockets, who don’t want to be taxed,” Morrow said. “So that is a big question mark.”
The project could be delayed by five to seven years, or cancelled if funding doesn’t come through.
The facility is expected to bring an estimated 18 jobs and $1.5 million in new payroll to Juneau.
Bartlett faces other large expenses in the next few years. Marrow talked about a $7- to $11-million overhaul of the hospital’s information systems by 2013 to meet new demands as part of recent health care reform.
• Contact reporter Russell Stigall at 523-2276 or at russell.stigall@juneauempire.com.
Comments (18)
Add commentcosts/sales tax
Someone has to ask how this building can cost $1400/square foot. Only 12 beds in 16,500 sq. foot building, that's alot of extra space for kids to decompress? Average salary of employee $83,000 annually. Let's get real, we can't shoot for the moon on every construction project in town. Get the funding from the Mental Health Trust-that is why they exist! They can build a conservative building and lease it to Bartlett and pay normal salaries.
Huh:
What's a normal salary?
Here's a sure way to win over
Here's a sure way to win over public support for your million dollar project - nice jab Mr. Morrow...
"there is a long long long line of people looking at that sales tax, including people who want to put back in their pockets, who don’t want to be taxed"
Why does this facility have to be on the taxpayer dole? Isn't there a private company that could come in and provide this service? Is there ever any outreach to the rest of the world or does everything in Juneau exist in a bubble?
Not under this administration!
Bartlett currently has 30 open positions. Turnover is a constant problem as BRH generally does not respect its staff and employees or treat them fairly. How does Morrow expect to fill those new positions if he can't even fill the ones he has now?
Why would I send my child to a facility run by the same administration that fired me for reporting and documenting an ongoing safety hazard? Why would anyone send their child to a facility that, if like the rest of BRH, most staff and local doctors would never use themselves if they had to be a patient???
The goal is laudable, but the management requesting it is laughable! Until Morrow and company begin treating the staff with respect, dignity, honesty, integrity and fairness nobody should support any expansion at BRH.
First Clean up Bartlett
Our children DO need the services- but not under this Administration? I to was dismissed like the writer above me under similar circumstances at Bartlett. No respect will give them No customers. No one will want to work for them, some don't now. Bartlett has run off some of the best Nurses and Doctors and staff because of the recent 'New Admin'...
Don't go for this Juneau- until you clean-up your Admin Team.
Top ranking promoter of the culture of fear invites vulnerable..
teens to obtain help at a facility noted for abuse !!! Wow... lets fund that one !!!
I have been overlooked for many positions I have applied for (and am WELL qualified for) because I dared to bring a major recruitment and retention problem to administration. I worked at BRH for almost a decade and can tell you that the staff are NOT overpaid by any stretch. The management staff are. The administration is, for sure. Good, decent people dedicate their lives to helping people at that facility. If CBJ would finally get a clue and get rid of Quorum, spend the money to find a more people friendly management company, and pay attention to the problems that arise from management companies, then the community would be more open to dedicating tax money to needed building projects. The community may even feel safe enough to use the facility for non-urgent healthcare services. Community member trust of this facility is fairly low with good cause. The logic behind the building project is sound. We do need to keep our kids in town. I just question the logic behind sending them to a facility so desperately incapable of successful recruitment and retention practices, and so laden with labor relations problems.The unit can be built, but who will staff it? Running off decent staff wont help PR for recruitment. this facility has an unfortunate reputation as an employer. There are 3 major departments at BRH currently without permanent managers. Every unit staffed by nurses is currently advertising for nurses and has been for years. I cant remember the last time that BRH wasnt begging for nurses. The city manager and assembly need to look Mr. Morrow in the face when he comes asking for money and ask him for accountability. Determine the barrier to this man actually respecting competent and willing staff. I dont support dedicating another penny to a facility run by this management company. Mr. Morrow has to go !!! Find another management company or privatize as other municipalities have done.
Mental Health Trust
The Mental Health Trust sits on trillions of board feet of marketable timber. With a ready market on the Pacific rim, why would we not use this resource for what is was intended?
One other consideration is that of making Juneau the "destination for the mentally ill". It would be an interesting hallmark as a municipality.
What percentile of patients would be expected to be cured in this facility?
This program has been long
This program has been long needed in Southeast. This is a money-maker in Juneau that will produce jobs with a service that parents and guardians otherwise have to fly their children out of town to receive. The only loser here, I think, is Alaska Air on the Anchorage runs.
Entertwining funding for this facility with complaints about Quorum's management practices only impedes the ability to provide better, cheaper mental health services to the youth of Southeast. Please don't throw it in the mix.
What's to Worry About Here??
At $23M, the cost per bed is $1,916,666,67, a bargain if ever there was one. But this is Juneau so everyone is just going to go along and get with the program.
In a similar fashion, the proposed addition of 6 transitional housing units at the AWARE Shelter will cost $3.5M according to the Juneau Empire this last week. That works out to be $583,333 for each unit which is a real deal compared to nearly $2M/bed at BMH.
Juneau certainly needs transitional housing for women, including women exiting jail. Juneau certainly needs to treat youth with drug and alcohol problems. Whether we actually come up with programs to meet and treat these critical needs or just build more expensive facilities is a question that ought to be asked by everyone, especially the local political caste. Sad to say, the politicians will just go along and get along with these expensive and not particularly effective proposals.
We get what we deserve in this little democracy of ours and it isn't particularly good and it certainly isn't inexpensive.
Money Maker?
The only people who will be forced into no other choice are the parents/guardians of children on Medicaid or Denali Kid Care. The other parents can make decisions based on best environment and treatment options for their children. One MUST factor in Quorum's management practices as they directly impact patient care.Funding is also a considerable factor in the conversation. Community members must make decisions on allocation of tax dollars to a needed building project managed by a company rich in the practices of the Culture of Fear. Staffing, funding, and therapeutic environment will always be problems with Quorum in the mix. The staff that do work at BRH do so under some difficult management practices and in an environment far from supportive of them. That's a reality that MUST be faced !! Ignoring those issues and putting your head in the sand wont make those issues go away. Only replacing Quorum and instituting a "no tolerance of abuse" policy in future management contracts will support the much needed adolescent mental health unit.
Concerned
Obviously you have issues with the management of BRH and you may be correct, but the issue in this article was about cost of new youth unit.
Is the proposal by management one of good value might be one of the key questions to ask here. If the community calls into question the issue of value as presented by management, you might be on to something with your observations but for the most part you risk sounding like another disgruntled employee off on a rant.
I would like to see a cost
I would like to see a cost analysis of the project. Are those details publicly available?
Sheqelim
Easy to ask the question but is it just rhetorical? The basic metrics for the cost associated with this proposed project are already out there, along with the essential result. Asking a generalized question like this is in the now familiar tradition of the vaguely passive/slightly aggressive typical orientation of many Juneau resident.
Address the points argued here or dig out the data you want and present it to the folks commenting instead of just tossing out more inane questions that are not going to move the body politic or the political caste.
Actually, my question was out
Actually, my question was out of ignorance. But thanks for answering it, you know, with a passive, slighty aggressive rhetoric. Maybe we can have a beer sometime so you can tell me all about moving the body politic.
Actually
the response was hardly passive. I like beer but I tend not to drink with anonymous people. Don't fret about this. You're in the mainstream of Juneau political thinking.
Shawn Morrow
When will CBJ wakeup and realize that the FIRST step in ANY updates or upgrades at Bartlett Hospital should be cleaning out the current management including Mr. Morrow. Anyone who questions the wisdom of this comment should look into Morrow's background, not very impressive. The number of talented people who have left or been forced out of service at Bartlett is sad. Morrow has surrounded himself with underqualified simpletons such as his HR manager and has used them as shields to deflect criticisms from staff. My question is why haven't the city officials acted to correct the problem and how on earth could they even consider going forward with a new venture with Morrow and his cronies at the helm? Are they being paid off to look the other way? I know they they are aware because myself and others have told them.
Shawn Morrow
When will CBJ wakeup and realize that the FIRST step in ANY updates or upgrades at Bartlett Hospital should be cleaning out the current management including Mr. Morrow. Anyone who questions the wisdom of this comment should look into Morrow's background, not very impressive. The number of talented people who have left or been forced out of service at Bartlett is sad. Morrow has surrounded himself with underqualified simpletons such as his HR manager and has used them as shields to deflect criticisms from staff. My question is why haven't the city officials acted to correct the problem and how on earth could they even consider going forward with a new venture with Morrow and his cronies at the helm? Are they being paid off to look the other way? I know they they are aware because myself and others have told them.
Shawn Morrow
When will CBJ wakeup and realize that the FIRST step in ANY updates or upgrades at Bartlett Hospital should be cleaning out the current management including Mr. Morrow. Anyone who questions the wisdom of this comment should look into Morrow's background, not very impressive. The number of talented people who have left or been forced out of service at Bartlett is sad. Morrow has surrounded himself with underqualified simpletons such as his HR manager and has used them as shields to deflect criticisms from staff. My question is why haven't the city officials acted to correct the problem and how on earth could they even consider going forward with a new venture with Morrow and his cronies at the helm? Are they being paid off to look the other way? I know they they are aware because myself and others have told them.