Daytona Beach Act closes mental health unit

Act closes mental health unit

By DEBORAH CIRCELLI
Staff Writer
DAYTONA BEACH -- The main local mental health facility has closed one of its crisis units, causing worry among advocates about where people will go if they are suicidal or a danger to others.

Act Corp. closed a unit with 20 beds last week, leaving the agency with 30 beds for adults in Volusia and Flagler counties who are dealing with a crisis.

Janet Miller, CEO of Act, said she attributes the closure to lack of funding and that beds in the unit aren't always full. The 50 beds are often full, however, in busy months starting in spring and peaking in May and June.

Act sent letters to law enforcement suggesting police may have to take people to St. Augustine if Act's Pinegrove facility and Halifax Health Medical Center, which has 50 crisis beds, are full. Police may also have to take people with pending criminal charges to the Volusia County Branch Jail, Act officials said.

But mental health advocates and some police say jail is not the answer and neither is driving to another county.


"Our concern is where would the patient go for treatment," said Deanna Schaeffer, chair of the Flagler/Volusia Behavioral Health Consortium.

Between both Act and Halifax, officials said, there is room for people in crisis now. Act has been averaging about 35 people a month so far this calendar year and Halifax's monthly average is 40.

"It is a cause for concern, but I don't see it as a crisis at this time," said Chuck Flavio, manager of adult psychiatric services at Halifax Health Medical Center.

Daytona Beach Police Chief Mike Chitwood said his officers will not turn their backs on people if they have to drive a longer distance. But he said he'll have to weigh what else is going on in the city and decide whether an officer can be off the street. There's also the issue of high gas prices.

"They keep cutting social programs and you are left from the police officer's perspective with, what do I do with this person?" Chitwood said. "Sending them to the county jail is not going to fix the problem."
click post title for more