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Waiting for Inpatient Care and 1 more... less...

Adults Waiting for Involuntary Inpatient Care

Average Number of Adults Awaiting Involuntary Inpatient Placement, including in Emergency Departments

Current Value

5

Feb 2024

Definition

Line Bar

Story Behind the Curve

  • The Department of Mental Health’s (DMH) goal is to continue to place individuals in appropriate beds as soon as they are available.
  • The timely transition of people to inpatient care requires active management daily for individuals of all statuses in need of hospital care.
  • DMH's Adult Care Management Team works with each of the Designated Hospitals (DHs), Designated Agency (DA) Emergency Services Teams, and Vermont hospital emergency departments to track and coordinate individual case flow and support the relevant systems in moving people needing care through the system.
    • The Adult Care Management Team additionally focuses on longer-term planning for individuals needing ongoing support and treatment services, which includes monitoring availability of placements in various levels of community-based programs across the state.
  • Utilization of adult crisis beds in the community for individuals assessed as appropriate for this support and stabilization option, as an alternative to extended ED wait time, has assisted in reducing the number of adults awaiting inpatient place.
    • DMH continues to explore voluntary alternative service or bed options that may better meet the needs of Vermonters experiencing a mental health crisis.

Notes on Methodology

  • Analyses are based on data maintained by the Vermont Psychiatric Care Hospital (VPCH) Admissions Department from paperwork submitted by DA Emergency Services/Mobile Crisis Teams.
  • Average number of adults waiting per day is based on the VPCH Admissions morning update report and end of shift reports regarding persons awaiting inpatient placement.
  • Adults awaiting inpatient treatment are based on month of disposition for those who had a disposition to a psychiatric inpatient unit.
  • Adults awaiting inpatient treatment are defined from determination of need for admission to disposition for those on court-ordered forensic observations, on warrant for immediate examination, or applications for emergency examination.

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