New Hampshire plans to spend an additional $2 million to try to ease long waiting lists for mental health services and to house some people in crisis in hospital emergency departments. The new strategy aims to respect the civil liberties of patients through a new approach to ensure that people who are involuntarily committed will not be boarded for 72 hours without a timely hearing. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness-New Hampshire, over the past nine years people have spent more than 72 hours waiting for inpatient psychiatric care without due process. The organization also said that some people involuntarily confined to hospitals have been released without receiving treatment. The new plan avoids rejections of petitions due to logistical problems while protecting the rights of patients. Susan Stearns, executive director of NAMI-New Hampshire, said the strategy is an important step in the right direction. “If you try to imagine yourself in an emergency department and can’t get out, then indeed , I think you can see that this is something no one would really want to have to go through, and especially if you’re in a crisis,” she told the New Hampshire Circuit Court Judge , Susan Ashley, said the new money means they won’t have to dip into other areas.”We hope this will help alleviate some of the concerns and bring faster resolution to people who are in a critical condition considering their mental health,” Ashley said. Gov. Chris Sununu said in a written statement that more needs to be done to improve mental health care in New Hampshire. children, young people s and families in crisis,” he said.
New Hampshire plans to spend an additional $2 million to try to ease long waiting lists for mental health services and to house some people in crisis in hospital emergency departments.
The new strategy aims to respect the civil liberties of patients through a new approach to ensure that people who are involuntarily committed will not be boarded for 72 hours without a timely hearing.
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness-New Hampshire, over the past nine years people have spent more than 72 hours waiting for inpatient psychiatric care without due process. The organization also said that some people held against their will in hospitals have been released without receiving treatment.
The new plan avoids rejections of petitions due to logistical problems while protecting the rights of patients.
Susan Stearns, executive director of NAMI-New Hampshire, said the strategy is an important step in the right direction.
“If you try to imagine yourself in an emergency department and being unable to get out, then yes, I think you can see that this is something that no one would really want to have to endure, and especially if you are in a state of crisis,” she said.
New Hampshire Circuit Court Judge Susan Ashley said the new money means they won’t have to dip into other areas.
“We hope this will help alleviate some of the concerns and bring faster resolution to people who are in critical condition given their mental health,” Ashley said.
Gov. Chris Sununu said in a written statement that more needs to be done to improve mental health care in New Hampshire.
“Our work is not done, and we remain committed to increasing community service capacity and further improving access to mental health care for children, youth and families in crisis,” he said. he declares.
