Smoky Mountain News: Haywood Regional has 6 adult mental health beds open; western NC lost detox unit w/ closure of Balsam Cntr

Julia Merchant continues her fine coverage associated w/ the Waynesville area of western NC. The Balsam Center which was able to offer detox, has closed in order to shift nurses to Haywood Regional Hospital where there will be 15 or 16 anticipated adult psychiatric beds. There are only 6 beds open at this time.

Here is her fine article: Nurse shortage forces closure of mental health facilityBy Julia Merchant • Staff Writer

(cut and paste): http://www.smokymountainnews.com/
issues/12_08/12_31_08/fr_nurse_shortage.html

“The one thing that has been critical that the Center has provided is detox,” said Trantham. “There is a tremendous need for it not just in our area, but across the whole state.”
The closure of the Center’s detox facility means there will be more competition for fewer places offering detox.
“We’re all going to be struggling to get access to that,” Trantham said.
Detox facilites are few and far between because they’re expensive to run, and 80 percent of individuals who use them don’t have insurance, said Trantham. That means the state must provide a significant amount of money to subsidize an often expensive detox program, and there’s inadequate funding to do so, Trantham said.
Addictions to drugs like methamphetamine are a critical problem in western areas of the state, so the need for a detox facility here is great.
“The real need today, more than ever, is for detox,” said Beale. Caring for drug and alcohol addicts who don’t get help can be a major drain on county services, Beale added.