Great River drops mental health contract

MT. PLEASANT — The Great River Health System decided recently not to renew its contract with Southeast Iowa Link to provide 23-hour crisis observation services for Henry, Jefferson, and Washington County emergency rooms.

According to Sarah Berndt, the general assistance and mental health and disability services director for Henry County, spoke to the county Board of Supervisors during the monthly department head meeting Thursday morning about the changes to the mental health system for the new fiscal year that started July 1.

This means there is a gap in crisis observation services in the Southeast Iowa Link counties.

According to Berndt, the Great River Health System decided that it wasn’t one of its priorities for the fiscal year, with the system taking control of Henry County Health Center. Berndt suspects that’s a larger priority for the health system.

“Taking over the entire operation of Henry County Health Center is a lot larger undertaking than a small responsibility like the 23-hour observation,” Berndt said.

According to Berndt, the Southeast Iowa Link region will still be providing uninsured members of the community that need outpatient services at Great River with financial services.

“Essentially those extra services no longer exist,” said Berndt, referring to the 23-hour observation and evaluation services.

The 23-hour observation period still is considered outpatient services. If it takes more than 23 hours, it is considered inpatient services.

In other news, Optimae Life Services is set to provide crisis evaluation services in the Southeast Iowa Link area, starting July 1.

It will provide crisis evaluation and either refer to outpatient services or commit them to crisis intervention centers in Burlington or Fairfield.

The crisis evaluations are available only by referral from Mental Health Centers, law enforcement and medical entities.

These services are aimed at helping those in mental health crisis and are starting to show signs of compensation or raising hostility or aggression to themselves or others.

According to Berndt, the region is fielding requests for a mental health mobile crisis unit.