Mat-Su Regional representatives discuss upcoming Behavioral Health Inpatient Program at Opioid Task Force meeting

WASILLA — The Mat-Su Regional Medical Center is almost ready to open their new Behavioral Health Inpatient Program, which will add 16 inpatient beds in a separate wing on the third floor.

Director of Behavioral Health Services Hope Allison and CEO Dave Wallace discussed the hospital’s new program on the developing third floor as special guest speakers at the Opioid Task Force meeting Dec. 3.

The addition of a behavioral health program is one of the many ways Mat-Su Regional is attempting to address the rising need for behavioral health care in the community.

“So how do you manage that? How do you get creative in that way so that everybody gets dignity, compassion and care? It’s really important. So, having the 16 beds coming online will help the problem, it will not eliminate the problem,” Allison said.

There has been a shortage of beds for behavioral health patients across the state for many years. Allison said the average wait for care at the Alaska Psychiatric Institute is 23 days.

“We definitely have a crisis in our state,” Allison said.

People seeking treatment on their own and otherwise encounter long waiting lists to find an open bed. Often, people are sent outside their community for a bed, going to places like the Alaska Psychiatric Institute in Anchorage and the Bartlett Regional Hospital in Juneau.

Allison said there are many Valley residents waiting to get into therapy. She said there are currently 800 people waiting to access therapy at Providence Mat-Su Behavioral Health and there’s an average four week waiting period to access therapy at Mat-Su Health Services.

The addition of the beds will help free up beds in the emergency department, particularly for patients that need to be restrained because they are a threat to themselves and others.

Only patients over the age of 18 will be admitted to the new behavioral wing, according to Allison. She said that minors will still be seen through the emergency department for behavioral health visits.

Allison said the hospital hired two new clinicians for the emergency department this year.

“When we can partner together and think about how we can utilize resources — not just within the hospital but outside — if we can free that up, if we can free up those clinicians that are coming into to do our assessments by hiring our own, then we have more people on the other side to reduce those wait times,” Allison said. “That’s been wonderful.”

Mat-Su Regional hired 25 behavioral health techs to provide observations for patients, according to Allison. She said they also hired three psychiatrists for new unit who can provide consultation for the emergency department, medication management and medical floor in addition to the new behavioral health wing that is slated to open in January.

“It’s beautiful,” Allison said.

Allisons said the new unit is being constructed with the overarching goal to offer a “continuum of care” with an average of seven to 10 days for stays.

“So people aren’t going to come in and be put in beds and then not get that continuity of care, that integrated care. We’re going to have groups, we’re going to have family meetings, we’re going to have activity therapy, we’re going to have discharge planning so people can come in and get that care that they need,” Allison said.

The new unit will be open for both voluntary and involuntary behavioral health patients, including those with substance abuse disorders, according to Allison. She clarified that while it will not be a substance abuse unit and there will be no detox service, they certainly will see those patients.

Detox services will still only be conducted in the emergency department. Allison said the hospital will be observing and taking notes when the new unit opens and ideas like adding detox could be possible down the road.

“This gives us a bunch of information on where to go next and what’s missing in our community and we have been partnering some of you and it’s been a wonderful thing, Allison said.

Allison said the hospital won’t be able to do “everything for everyone” but local partnerships with referral agencies like Mat-Su Health Services, and True North, and the Cook Inlet Tribal Council have been a great way to connect people to the continuum of care.

Mat-Su Regional will host an open house leading to the opening of the new behavioral health wing. It’s expected to be ready for the public by Jan. 20, 2020.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at jacob.mann@frontiersman.com