/COVID-19 confirmed at four Mississippi mental health facilities

COVID-19 confirmed at four Mississippi mental health facilities

The hardest hit hospital is East Mississippi State Hospital, Meridian. According to the Meridian Star, there are 31 patients with COVID-19 (the novel coronavirus-related disease) and 36 cases among staff. There are 372 beds for psychiatric patients, 35 beds for chemical dependency, and 226 beds in nursing homes. Bill Blair, director, of support services at Boswell Regional Center, Magee, said that the facility does not have any cases among patients, but six among the staff. Blair stated that staff who are positive for COVID-19 can be sent home immediately and only allowed to return if they have tested negative. Adam Moore, communications director for the Department of Mental Health, said that 25 of the remaining cases will be split between Ellisville State School and North Mississippi Regional Center in Oxford. North Mississippi Regional Center offers 24-hour care for 485 people who live in 12 campus cottages or 20 ICF/MR 10 bed community homes located throughout north Mississippi. Ellisville State School provides education for approximately 240 students on its main campus as well as additional community members. Moore answered Moore’s question about how many cases are at each facility. He said that the agency follows the lead of the state Department of Health. Moore stated that the Mississippi State Department of Health is currently not identifying long term care facilities or confirmed numbers at these locations due to privacy concerns and stigmatization of facilities. Liz Sharlot, Director of Communications for the Health Department, refused to confirm these numbers when asked. She said that they cannot release information about facilities or cases of COVID-19. Sharlot stated that facilities can decide whether or not to release information. Department of Mental Health has several behavioral health programs, including Mississippi State Hospital Whitfield in Rankin County as well as its satellite program Specialized Treatment Facility (Gulfport). The satellite programs of the East Mississippi State Hospital are: North Mississippi State Hospital, Tupelo, South Mississippi State Hospital In Purvis, and Central Mississippi Residential Center. Department of Mental Health also runs five regional programs for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities, and a program for adolescents with intellectual or developmental disabilities. These programs are located at Boswell Regional Center, Magee, and its satellite program Mississippi Adolescent Center, Brookhaven, Ellisville State School, Ellisville State School, and Hudspeth Regional Center, Rankin County. They also include North Mississippi Regional Center, Oxford, South Mississippi Regional Center, Long Beach, and North Mississippi Regional Center. These programs offer residential services as well as licensed homes for community living. READ ALSO: “It’s easy to overlook the Effect of COVID-19 On People with Serious Mental Health Problems” The Department of Mental Health stated, “Precautions are being taken to prevent the spread of the disease in state mental health facilities.” Moore stated that DMH is following all Mississippi State Department of Health guidelines concerning PPE and isolation. Moore was referring to the acronym Personal Protective Equipment. DMH-operated programs conduct temperature checks and screenings before employees can enter campus. In cases where someone has been confirmed to have the virus, families of those served were notified. Individuals who are served are regularly screened and DMH programs establish isolation areas if a client tests negative.” Moore answered that EMSH has classrooms within its athletic complex that can be used as isolation spaces. Moore said that there are specific areas, wards, rooms, and cottages at other DMH programs that have been prepared ahead of positive results. These areas would only be used for those who test positive. Once staff are assigned to a unit, they receive all the Personal Protective Equipment that they need to provide care. If a building/group home has positive COVID-19 cases and/or patients/residents/clients who are symptomatic, the building/group home is placed on quarantine, which means there is limited access to the building/home for only essential staff. Moore stated that staff do not rotate with other buildings/homes.