- What are the Department's priorities for the Springfield Hospital Center, the Sykesville SETT Unit, and the community of Sykesville?
- Provide quality care and assure safety and security for the patients/residents
- Provide for the safety and security of the employees
- Provide for the safety and security of the community
- What process did the State undertake in making its decision to move Rosewood Hospital Center forensic clients to the Springfield Hospital Center? Were other locations considered?
In January 2008, Governor O'Malley announced the phased closure of the Rosewood Hospital Center. The FY 2009 budget approved by the General Assembly eliminates the direct funding of the Rosewood facility beginning July 1, 2009.
Other alternatives were considered including Spring Grove Hospital Center in Catonsville, the Potomac Center in Hagerstown, the Brandenberg Center in Western Maryland, and the Perkins Center in Jessup. Of the alternatives, Spring Grove did not have any appropriate space; the use of the Potomac Center would have been in violation of its existing license as an Intermediate Care Facility for Persons with Mental Retardation (ICF/MR); and the Brandenberg Center was determined to be too far west. The Perkins Center does not have adequate space for an additional 22 residents and they do not have sufficient programming space. The space that was referenced in recent newspaper articles that was available in 2004 has since been filled with Perkins' patients.
The Springfield Hospital Center Muncie Building was chosen because it is a stand alone building that already has in place many security provisions and only minimal need for further investment. It is also an appropriate setting in which to provide behavioral therapy and treatment. Springfield was also able to provide the support services needed such as dietary and laundry. - What is the difference between the existing population at Springfield and the population that will reside in the Sykesville SETT Unit?
The current individuals at Springfield Hospital Center are patients who are mentally ill. The average daily population at Springfield is 349, of that population 58% are forensically committed and 42% are civilly committed. Many individuals with mental illness can benefit significantly from appropriate medications and therapy. They are typically able to interact safely with society once appropriate treatment measures are taken.
The individuals that will reside in the Sykesville SETT Unit are people with mental retardation. There will be up to 22 people in the SETT Unit. Individuals with mental retardation often have cognitive limitations and sometimes behavioral challenges. They can benefit from behavioral therapy and successfully return to the community. Long term care is provided at the Sykesville SETT until the treatment team and the Court determines that the individual is appropriate for the community. The process is that the treatment team decides the individual is ready, makes a recommendation to the court for discharge to the community, and then the court has to agree.
- What measures will be put in place to secure the Sykesville SETT Unit and the Springfield Hospital Center Campus? How will elopements be handled?
The security provisions at Springfield Hospital Center and the Sykesville SETT Unit are designed to safeguard patients/residents, staff and the surrounding community. Springfield Hospital Center has had a harmonious relationship with the City of Sykesville for 113 years. The Department is committed to continuing that relationship with the addition of the Sykesville SETT Unit on the hospital center campus.
The Sykesville SETT Unit will be guarded 24/7. A risk assessment of each resident is conducted at the time of admission. In some cases, a risk assessment determines if a resident requires 1 to 1 staffing. The risk assessment is also an important tool for determining the appropriate level of staffing for the entire unit. The Muncie Building currently has many security features and more are being added. The entrance will have two locked doors that are accessible by key card only. All other doors are being replaced with more secure doors. Windows have a special treatment so that they cannot be broken out. There will be security cameras to provide better visualization down the two hallways inside the facility. A very tall security fence, which is curved at the top with fine-mesh will secure the courtyard. Two guards will be on duty 24/7 and the individuals residing in the facility will have no unsupervised grounds privileges on the Springfield Hospital Center campus.
The existing security measures in place for Springfield Hospital Center patients will remain in place. Individuals committed to the hospital for mental health treatment will be given grounds privileges as their clinical presentation improves. Individuals who are court ordered for evaluation or who are civilly admitted from a detention center are not given grounds privileges. The SETT will also have security measures in place. Their residents will not have grounds privileges.
The Springfield Hospital Center has an existing elopement policy. The policy exists to identify report, analyze and prevent patient elopements. Each patient is assessed for risk of elopement. Elopement precautions are taken for those patients determined to be at risk for elopement. The goal of the policy is to safeguard patients who are clinically assessed to be at risk for eloping. The Springfield Hospital Center Police follow guidelines regarding community notification regarding elopements that may involve an individual potentially dangerous to the community. The SETT will also have an elopement policy and will coordinate with Springfield on elopements and notifications.
Sykesville SETT Q&A
are in PDF. (The freely available