Columbia loses money and treatment centers for mental health care

The cuts limit treatment in Columbia largely to the university.

By Stephanie Clark

Published Jan. 23, 2009

Mental health patients in Columbia are gradually becoming limited with their treatment center choices.

In the past year, budget cuts caused largely in part by the economic recession, have been affecting mental health patients throughout Columbia and law enforcement officials who help with the Missouri Department of Mental Health.

In December, the Mid-Missouri Health Center cut back on 26 mental health beds. This past summer, the Boone Hospital Center closed its mental health wing. The Mid-Missouri Health Center had been working above the permissible capacity already, which is why the cuts had to be made. These cutbacks in the Missouri Department of Mental Health have had law enforcement officials doing extra work.

Due to the reduction, mental health patients have to rely heavily on the University Hospital for treatment. "The university still has the ability to take people so we would take our folks there," Columbia Police Department Sgt. Lloyd Simons said. "There is a breakdown of people that are mandated, and then there are folks that go on their own behalf. If we feel the patients are in harm to themselves or others, we can mandate them to the University Hospital."

Patients who can't receive care at Mid-Missouri Health Center must travel to either St. Louis or Kansas City to obtain treatment.

"We utilize Mid-Missouri mental health and have had no problems and or issues to date," MU Police Department Capt. Brian Weimer said. "They are a great resource for our department and have always been willing to work with us."

Simons said police officers are still able to take people to a facility. "We still have the ability to take people to a mental health facility," Simons said. "Obviously, there's no choice now, whereas before we could've taken them to Boone. Now we're limited to just the university."