More hands-on care asked form Community Mental Health

Members of the Presque Isle County Board of Commissioners heard from Dr. Rob Allum, a physician with the Rogers City Medical Group, at their March 12 board meeting. He?s concerned with the availability of mental health services for inmates in the Presque Isle County jail. Allum will work with Northeast Michigan Community Mental Health (CMH) board chairman Tony White and former commissioner Gary Nowak, who serves as a representative of Presque Isle County on the board. The three are expected to work together to see what can be done about the problem.

It?s a safety issue for the inmates, and the men and women who work in the jail, but the situation is a financially troublesome for the county board which has to pay for deputies to travel to Alpena for an inmate, when the need arises, to be evaluated. If there is a female inmate, two deputies have to travel to Alpena.

ALLUM WANTED to share his concerns with the commissioners. He said the major issue is the ?availability and continuity? of mental health services in the county. Allum assists the county with medical situations at the jail on an as-needed basis. Incidents including an attempted suicide at the jail brought the need to his attention.

?It is my understanding that all the mental health needs of the community, at least for those uninsured people, are referred to Alpena?s program and there are monies being sent from Presque Isle County to them to take of that,? Allum said. Presque Isle County pays $40,000 a year to CMH for its services, according to clerk Sue Rhode. Allum took it upon himself to contact both administration and psychiatrists from CMH, requesting that they make themselves more available for the county jail.

?I HAVE NOT been able to get them to commit to coming and evaluating people on a regular basis or even being available as needed,? he said. Allum said it would be helpful to have someone available to visit the county jail and a contact person to answer questions and discuss problems. Commissioner Don Field, chairman of the finance committee, said he?s seen the bills and costs incurred from transporting inmates to Alpena. Field agreed that something needs to be done, but getting ?the (CMH) board to do something is like trying to move this building,? he said, referring to the courthouse.

Both Alpena and Cheboygan counties have programs in which a psychologist or psychiatrist will come to the jail to assess and evaluate the inmates with mental health needs. Allum said he checked with the two bordering counties and having the on-site care is ?standard procedure.?

?We?re not getting adequate representation,? Allum continued. As a suggested option, Allum said, with what the county pays CMH, commissioners might consider hiring a psychologist instead. ?Or if they could come up twice a month,? Field said. ?If we could get them here,? Allum said, ?it would be better and certainly would cost less.?

IN OTHER business:

? Public Act 698 takes effect March 31, expanding the revised Judicature Act to require all counties in Michigan to create an automation fund. The act requires the Register of Deeds deposit $5 for each recorded instrument into an automation fund. The fund is required to be expended by the Register of Deeds to upgrade technology within the register?s office with priority given to upgrading search capabilities. The resolution to establish the new fund was offered by commissioner Bob Schell and supported by Mike Darga. All five commissioners cast ?yes? votes.

? The commissioners narrowly approved the hazardous materials incident cost recovery ordinance.

The vote was 3-2, with chairman Allan Bruder, Field and Darga voting for the ordinance, while commissioners Gary Wozniak and Schell opposed it. A failure to remove and clean up hazardous materials from a building, premises, property or a vehicle, would requi

re Presque Isle County officials to take things into their own hands.

?Presque Isle County shall have the right to enter onto said property and remove and conduct a clean up of such hazardous materials either by governmental employees or by contractors,? states the ordinance. The expense of an emergency response shall be a charge against the person or corporation liable for the expenses under the ordinance. If after following the billing procedure, outlined in the ordinance, the owner, operator or occupant doesn?t reimburse the county, they would slip into default, and the amount will be added to the tax rolls.

The county also would have the right to bring action in court. The ordinance goes into effect in 60 days.

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