Shortage Of Fully Functioning Hospitals In New Orleans Affects Mental Health Services

The New Orleans area faces a “crisis” because of an increase in mental health problems and a lack of access to care in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the AP/Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports. According to a recent study published in the Bulletin of the World Health Organization, mental health problems in the areas affected by the hurricane almost doubled to 11.3% in the aftermath. Since the hurricane, only two of the 11 hospitals in the New Orleans area are fully functional, and the number of psychiatric beds in the area has decreased from 480 to about 200, Jeffrey Rouse, deputy psychiatric coroner for Orleans Parish, said. Five hospitals in the New Orleans area currently accept patients with mental health problems, one in New Orleans and four in Jefferson Parish. James Arey, a psychologist who heads the New Orleans police crisis negotiation team, added that many city residents lack access to, or the ability to pay for, medication to treat mental health problems. Arey also said that the closure of Charity Hospital, which accepted patients with mental health problems at any hour, has forced police to take some of those individuals to jail. He said, “You knew they were safe. You knew they would get the care they needed. You don’t know either of those things now” (Foster, AP/Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 11/8).

Popularity: 2% [?]

Share This

Also Read