Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Cottage Grove sentinel. (Cottage Grove, Or.) 1909-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 11, 2015)
COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL February 11, 2015 9A T ROUBLE Continued from page 1A tional state. A few years ago, hospital staff recognized the need for a place to care for those who came to the Emergency Room in a state of mental cri- sis, and the room fi nds use with “reasonable frequency,” accord- ing to Dr. Paul Kranitz, director of the emergency department here and a key component of a coordinated effort toward greater mental health in Cottage Grove. I t’s an effort that takes the work of many to deal with issues that vary with each indi- vidual, and the safe room often brings the agencies that typi- cally respond to mental health crises in the community — the emergency department, emer- gency responders, counselors with South Lane Mental Health and the offi cers of the Cottage Grove Police Department — into physical proximity to each other. Mental health issues can be as varied as the population they affect, and treatment of those issues can also vary widely. As such, not all of the patients who fi nd themselves in the hospital’s safe room are aware of the situa- tion that has brought them there, but Kranitz said many do in fact recognize their illness. The ER sees between zero and a half- dozen such cases each week, he said. “We see patients in crisis, and a lot of them recognize that they’re not well,” he said. “Peo- ple often walk themselves in, and they’re often accompanied by members of their family.” At the hospital, the problems a patient is having manifest themselves in many ways. “Patients can be thinking about hurting themselves or others,” Kranitz said. “They can be hearing voices, can be sad or anxious. There are myriad pre- sentations, and they’re unique to each patient. But most want to be taken care of, to have their mental health improved, and they’re often very appreciative when that happens.” Here in the Emergency Room, Kranitz and staff are trained to deal with crises involving the human body, and mental health issues are approached from the same angle. “We’re talking about an organ of the human body, the brain,” he said. “It’s no different than a patient who has had a heart attack that you would put on a heart monitor.” With most external stimuli and dangerous instruments re- moved, the safe room fosters safer conditions for the patient, Kranitz said, but also for the staff members that care for him or her. Treatments administered in the ER can range from simple conversations to medications to counseling; some patients will be admitted to the hospital, and some will require a longer pe- riod of treatment in a facility to return to more normal function. S ometimes, events lead- ing up to such an Emer- gency Room visit have brought an individual into contact with local law enforcement, though Kranitz said it certainly doesn’t happen in the majority of cas- es. Still, Commander Scott Shepherd said that the Cottage Grove Police Department has witnessed more mental health crises recently, and the log of activities for the Cottage Grove Police Department typically includes several responses to mental health issues each week. “We’ve seen more people in crisis in the last six months or so,” Shepherd said. “Whether it’s because of illness or lack of treatment or choices an indi- vidual will make to self-medi- cate, we’re called to respond to behavior that draws attention — disorderly conduct, property crimes, crimes against people. It just seems more prevalent re- cently.” Shepherd said the Police De- partment is set up to hold peo- ple accountable for crimes they may have committed, but in sit- uations involving mental health crises, police frequently de- pend on staff at the Emergency Room and counselors at South Lane Mental Health — the local nonprofi t dedicated to helping residents of South Lane County understand their mental and emotional issues and take steps toward improving their con- dition — to consider the next steps. “If their actions are disor- derly or they become fi xated on something or someone, their behavior can often be consid- ered criminal,” Shepherd said. “Part of our responsibility is to try and make sure if someone in crisis needs evaluation and try to make it happen. We can hold people accountable to a certain degree, but we also depend on South Lane Mental Health and the ER for medical interven- tions.” Many treatments for mental health crises in Cottage Grove involve coordination between staff at the ER and counselors at South Lane Mental Health, which treats about 1500 people per year through counseling, prescribing medications and other interventions, according In addition to counseling from 33 therapists on its staff, South Lane Mental Health visits several patients in their homes twice a day, every day, Main- wald said, and the agency has intensive programs for about 25 high-risk youth in the commu- nity. It also operates housing for about 20 people. T he approach is markedly different from attitudes about mental health that have held sway in the past, according to Mainwald and SLMH Execu- tive Director Tom Wheeler. “The philosophy has changed to one of helping folks do their best in their own communities,” Wheeler said. “Twenty years ago, the state spent 80 percent of its mental health budget on the 2000 or so patients in the state hospital, but people started to realize that wasn’t the way to “The philosophy has changed to one of helping folks do their best in their own communities. Twenty years ago, the state spent 80 percent of its mental health budget on the 2000 or so patients in the state hospital, but people started to realize that wasn’t the way to go. Approaching it as a community health issue is more dignifi ed.” — South Lane Mental Health Executive Director Tom Wheeler to Director of Services Valeria Mainwald. Still, dealing with patients in crisis is not the most common form of help SLMH offers its patients, most of whom, accord- ing to Mainwald, simply require a little help to go about their daily lives. “It’s community-based, old- school social work,” she said, “anything from helping with housing to trips to the doctor’s offi ce to the Oregon Health Plan — often, it’s routine, day-to-day things that people with severe mental or emotional problems have a hard time pulling off.” go. Approaching it as a commu- nity health issue is more digni- fi ed.” Each of the agencies that re- spond to mental health crises lo- cally applauds the efforts of the others, though certain drawbacks accompany a more intensive community emphasis, Wheeler and Mainwald explained, many of which are encountered after the crisis. “The acuity of the need has increased,” Mainwald said. “People are focused on the re- model of the Johnson Unit, but it hasn’t increased the availabil- ity of beds for those who require housing, and the population is growing. There’s a new facil- ity being built in Junction City, but the state is closing as many beds in Salem as they’re open- ing there. Even if a patient is suicidal, we might spend hours looking for a place for them.” In addition, the basic tenets of a free society make seeking out treatment for mental health issues a voluntary act. “Unless a person is immedi- ately dangerous, they can re- fuse treatment,” Mainwald said. “That’s where the connection between us and the other agen- cies really helps people reen- gage and helps us all share our concerns.” “The trouble is often that certain people have issues, and they seek treatment,” CGPD’s Shepherd said. “They are treat- ed, then they feel like they’re fi ne and stop treatment, and the behaviors come back.” Increased demand for medi- cal services brought on by the Affordable Care Act has also greatly increased activity in Cot- tage Grove’s Emergency Room and demand for services at South Lane Mental Health, and treatment isn’t always sought (and isn’t available in Cottage Grove) for the substance abuse issues believed to accompany about half the mental health cri- ses locally. But perhaps the biggest hur- dle to treating mental health is- sues is an unseen one. “There’s a stigma to seeking treatment for mental health is- sues, but it’s totally fabricated,” Kranitz said. “We’re talking about treating a disease or dis- eases, and there’s no shame in that.” “Most people don’t want to seek out treatment,” Mainwald said. “There’s a stigma involved, it’s hard work and there’s a cost involved. Life is more stress- ful these days, and we’re more visible to each other in a small town.” Still, help is available in Cot- tage Grove for those who seek it. “We can’t reel them in, but when they’re ready, we’re here,” Wheeler said. www.shoppelocal.biz Three common childhood dental health concerns When your baby’s fi rst teeth come in, everyone rejoices; it’s a sign that all is progressing as it should. But as your child ages, various dental concerns can come along as well. Some issues are genetic and will require orthodon- tic work a bit later on, but there are others you can pre- pare for right now. 1. BABY BOTTLE TOOTH DECAY Prevent early childhood caries, or cavities, by nursing or putting only mother’s milk and formula in your baby’s bottles. Don’t let your baby fall asleep with the nipple in the mouth; gently wipe your infant’s teeth with a sterile gauze pad be fore sleep time. 2. THUMB SUCKING Thumb sucking is gen- erally accepted to be a harmless habit in young children; sucking is a natural refl ex in babies, and for toddlers it is Douglas G. Maddess, DMD Brightening Lives One Smile at a Time Welcoming New Patients Call for an appointment today! 914 South 4th St. #' s douglasgmaddessdmd.com an effective self-soothing strate- gy. However, the American Dental Association says that thumb suck- ing after the age of four can affect the alignment of your child’s teeth and jaw. Talk to your pediatrician for advice about thumb sucking. 3. ACCIDENTAL TRAUMA TO THE TEETH A blow to the mouth, cheek, or jaw may cause damage to teeth above or below the gum line. Take your child to the dentist’s or to the hospital emergency room if a tooth is cracked or knocked out or if an object gets caught in the mouth or between the teeth. In the case of a knocked-out tooth, try to recover it and bring it to the dentist or hospital. Keep the tooth moist, ideally in the child’s mouth; if your child is old enough to not swal- low it, place it between the teeth and gums or in the gap from where it fell out. You can also place the tooth in a cup of milk. Cottage Grove Sentinel + Shane Parsons, DMD New patients welcome 605 Jefferson Ave. • Cottage Grove Please call for an appointment. Hours: Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm Emergency appts. available daily www.shaneparsonsdmd.com 541 942-9171 Brent Bitner, DDS Dentistry with Family in Mind C ALL U S T ODAY ! 541.942.7934 350 E. W ASHINGTON A VENUE • C OTTAGE G ROVE WWW.CGSMILES.COM www.shoppelocal.biz
