May 20, 2008 Increasing demand for mental health care in NH Play video

(Lauren Collins, NECN: New Hampshire) - A new report says nearly half of all New Hampshire residents will probably need some kind of treatment for mental illness. But it also says, there may not be enough services to treat those people.

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The report analyzed hospital discharge data between 1997 and 2006.

“We have a continuing and increasing demand for mental health care as well as substance abuse care in this state.”

And those patients head to the emergency room. The rate of ambulatory care for mental health patients rose 38 percent from 55 to 76 patients per ten thousand people. Similarly, ER visits for substance abuse incidents shot up 35 percent from 25 to 36 patients per ten thousand people.

“It raises a broader question of a continuum of care and whether one exists in New Hampshire.”

Dr. Peter Antal co-authored the report and says the ER has become New Hampshire’s default source of care as four specialty hospitals in the state have shut their doors: Seaborne Hospital in Dover, Seminole Point Hospital in Sunapee, Charter Brookside in Nashua, and Beach Hill Hospital in Dublin.

Additionally, there are fewer trained physicians available in the state, and fewer resources available at community health centers.

Roughly half of all New Hampshire residents will need some kind of mental health or substance abuse care in their lifetime. But the figure that really concerns researchers and advocates, is a

Three percent of the patients tracked by the report, accounted for 28 percent of total charges -- $320 million dollars over the nine-year period.

“We don't have the capacity in New Hampshire hospitals to meet the needs of those people who are repeatedly coming back to the hospitals with co-occurring disorders.”

These patients find limited community resources and are often discharged without proper follow up care. They frequently have little ability to pay, because of unstable employment and insurance coverage.

The take away message?

If we don't take steps now, we are guaranteed of not only wasting economic resources, but wasting valuable individual resources.