More funding urged to treat mental illness

Monday, March 20th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Mental health advocates urged more funding to care for the mentally ill this morning and expressed concern about how patients will be affected by the closure of Eastern State Hospital.

"Somehow or other we've got to protect these patients from harm and exploitation," state Rep. Joe Eddins, D-Vinita, said at a news conference.

Steve Buck, executive director of NAMI-Oklahoma, said mental health spending as a percentage of the state budget has declined over the past 15 years. If it had remained constant, the state's mental health budget would be $55 million higher, Buck said.

Mental health advocates said more needs to be done to care for the mentally ill as the state continues to downsize its mental health hospital and move services to community-oriented centers.

They are seeking an additional $11.4 million for new-generation mental health medications as well as $6.4 million to provide community support through assertive community treatment teams.

"We know how to take care of adults with mental illness," Eddins said. But he said Oklahoma's is a "disconnected system of care."

Rep. Wallace Collins, D-Norman, said he is concerned about how the closure of the state mental health hospital in Vinita will affect patients. Collins said he is also concerned about a proposal to cut $11 million from Griffin Memorial Hospital in Norman.

About 75 workers at Eastern State Hospital were laid off earlier this month as the state shifts care for the mentally ill to community-based mental health centers. About 40 more hospital cuts are scheduled July 1.

Collins said 646 people were discharged when Western State Hospital closed down in 1994. Of those, 59 people later died, he said. Twenty of the deaths were due to injury or poison, 10 were accidental and eight were the result of suicide.

The median age of patients who died was 47, he said. "I think it's a tragedy," Collins said. "Can we expect the same thing to happen with the closure of Eastern? Where's the safety net? We're not doing enough."