Editorial: Mentally ill need greater assistance

Monday, Aug. 2, 2004 | 8:48 a.m.

Mike Wilden, director of the state Human Resources Department, is right when he blames Southern Nevada's emergency shortage of beds for mental health patients on the region's rising population. He is also right in blaming a past decision by three private hospitals to close 133 psychiatric beds. But he is not right to end the blame there. The state of Nevada, for the past 15 or 20 years, has been fully aware of the population projections for Las Vegas versus the paucity of state mental health services. Over that period of time, on the national level, states have developed 33 mental health beds for every 100,000 residents. With 4.5 beds per 100,000, Nevada's mental health patients are grossly underserved.

The effect of this deficit in mental health beds became painfully obvious earlier this month when nearly one-third of all emergency room beds in Las Vegas' 11 hospitals were occupied by mentally ill patients -- with more waiting in ambulances while space was cleared. Clark County Manager Thom Reilly declared the situation an emergency, as the ERs needed much of that room for patients streaming in with more typical emergencies -- physical injuries and sudden sickness.

Responding to Reilly's declaration, the state -- where primary responsibility for the care of mentally ill people resides -- released $100,000 to open and staff a temporary facility for mentally ill patients. No one thought of that as any more than a quick fix. Now, the state Board of Examiners is recommending another emergency appropriation, this time for $1.9 million. This would allow the state to open 28 more beds at the Southern Nevada Adult Mental Health Services center on West Charleston Boulevard.

Gov. Kenny Guinn supports the $1.9 million request, but it must first be approved by the Legislative Interim Finance Committee, which handles appropriations between sessions of the Legislature. The committee has a poor record when it comes to supporting mental health initiatives. In November it refused to authorize funding for WestCare, a nonprofit organization that treats mentally ill people in a program funded by local governments and area hospitals. The state's refusal to help curtailed the program and led to this month's crisis. Guinn said he will ask the committee to hold an emergency meeting to quickly approve the $1.9 million, which would last until February, when the Legislature convenes. We hope the committee members respect the governor on this issue, because, as Guinn says, "We can't wait."

Emergency appropriations cannot be the answer, however. The state is building a new psychiatric hospital in Las Vegas, whose 2006 opening will net another 50 beds for the area. We believe the Legislature should recognize that this will be insufficient. Legislators should adopt a long-term financing plan for mental health that will account for the true need.