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El Paso County Commissioner Pct. 2
Veronica Escobar

  • Limited mental health services creating burden on El Paso, officials say
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  • By Darren Meritz / El Paso Times

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  • Article Launched: 09/04/2008 05:47:15 PM MDT
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  • EL PASO - Limited resources and an increased population of patients who require mental health services are creating a huge financial burden in El Paso that could be remedied if the state properly funded mental health care, elected officials, civic leaders and experts said Thursday.

  • Officials Thursday released results of the Community Mental Health Survey, a collaborative research project by Greater El Paso Chamber of Commerce and the University of Texas at El Paso's Institute for Policy and Economic Development.

  • The survey found that "the system is operating beyond capacity, it is increasingly difficult to maintain a suitable workforce, the current reimbursement model does not support collaboration and the Fort Bliss expansion will only exacerbate the crisis already being experienced by El Paso's mental health system."

  • According to the survey, 12,343 adults are estimated to be at risk for mental illness and eligible for MHMR services, although only 46 percent receive those services. Among children, 5,577 are estimated to be at risk, of which 24 percent are able to access services.

  • Without increased funding, El Paso MHMR - like its counterparts throughout the state - will have to service a greater number of patients with inadequate resources, officials said.

  • "You're watering down the soup to the point where all of your customers won't get what's needed, and they'll all starve," said Gary Larcenaire, chief executive officer for El Paso MHMR. "Our hope is our

    elected officials will lead us in the legislative session successfully so we will have the dollars we need."

  • The survey found that El Paso County needs $61.6 million for the next two years to address mental health issues, $28.5 million for capital projects and $33.1 million for annual operating expenses.

  • Deferred mental health care places the onus for treatment on other segments within the community, such as law enforcement, the courts, hospitals and the nonprofit and private sectors, officials said.

  • Experts compared the mental health situation in El Paso to diabetes, which can be simpler, safer and far less expensive to treat beginning with an initial diagnosis rather than care for a patient in crisis in the emergency room.

  • "I have filed bill after bill after bill to correct this," said state Sen. Eliot Shapleigh, D-El Paso. "The solution is to lay out a continuum of care."

  • Darren Meritz may be reached at dmeritz@elpasotimes.com; 546-6127.