County mental health services are not timely
By Greg Pearson STAFF WRITER

Chesterfield County is failing to provide mental health services to its citizens in a timely fashion according to national standards. And the demand for mental health services is growing faster than the department's ability to handle them.

That's the report the board of supervisors heard last week as it began its consideration of department budgets in preparation for its scheduled county budget vote on Apr. 11. Reports by members of the Chesterfield Community Services Board, which oversees the county's mental health and mental retardation department, told of a growing caseload without enough staff to handle them.

"Access to services are mostly failing to meet national standards for accessibility," said Dr. George Braunstein, executive director of community services.

Case managers who are supposed to handle 40 cases are currently overseeing 60. Adult mental health outpatient caseloads are 20 percent above national standards.

Psychiatrists are only supposed to manage 250 cases but are handling 400. Psychiatric help is not available without a 1-3 month wait "unless there is a crisis," the report said.

Despite the growing caseload, the county's mental health services was fully accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities recently for another three years. "Very few public sector providers have every single part of their system accredited," said Braunstein.

Those seeking infant mental health services have to wait 3-6 weeks. Infant services caseloads have grown 66 percent in the past three years.

Asked by Board Chairman Kelly Miller what was causing the dramatic increase in demand for services, Braunstein said more people know about the services and want physical and speech therapy in particular.

Pressed by Miller about how many might be illegal immigrants, Braunstein replied, "A negligible amount," but he acknowledged many were Hispanic who did not speak English. Because of the law, county staff cannot inquire about citizenship.