Up to 800 area mental health patients will be looking for a new counseling program after Carson Tahoe Regional Healthcare closes its outpatient Behavioral Health Services program next month.

The nonprofit private healthcare system announced Wednesday that this service will close June 30 as part of a massive restructuring of hospital management and departments. The Lifeline program for seniors will be passed to a different organization. The wellness fair program will be scaled back, a healthcare spokeswoman said Wednesday.

This comes two days after the regional healthcare system announced it will eliminate more than 50 jobs, about 4 percent of its work force, to cut costs and consolidate management.

Karlene Johnson, of Carson City, said the closure will be difficult for her 16-year-old daughter, who is manic depressive.

"This program saved her life," Johnson said. "Feb. 22, 2004, I had to admit her to West Hills for suicide and drug abuse. When she was released from that program there was nobody else but Behavioral Health Services who would treat youth."

She's worried that there will be nothing else for her daughter, who has already made a connection with her peer counseling group. Johnson would like the hospital to re-evaluate its decision to cut the program. Juvenile Probation and drug court often refer children and teens to the mental health program.

Cheri Glockner, regional healthcare spokeswoman, said the hospital will refer the 600-800 patients who use the mental health program to other resources.

"While it's unfortunate that it's being discontinued through us, it's a nationwide problem," Glockner said. "The funding for mental-health care is not enough to meet the needs of our community. We've been subsidizing the outpatient Behavioral Health Services at a cost of $350,000 a year. Medicaid and Medicare reimbursement for mental health is so low and service is costly."

After she heard the news Tuesday night, Pam Cowperthwaite, of Carson City, cried for almost two hours straight during her counseling group for parents of children with mental illness. Her 16-year-old son has bi-polar disorder. She learned how to parent her son through her counseling group. She said 15-18 children and teens are in the program. Three psychologists work in Behavioral Health Services, according to the hospital's medical staff directory.

"There's no other program like this in the Reno, Sparks, Carson City area," Cowperthwaite said. "Mental-health treatment is very scarce in Northern Nevada."

The inpatient program, which cares for mental-health patients for three days or more, will remain in operation.

The Lifeline program for the disabled and the elderly will be cut from the hospital's services and passed to another agency on June 16, Glockner said. Lifeline allows home-bound patients to call for assistance by pressing a button on a piece of jewelry.

Janice Ayres, executive director of Nevada Rural Counties RSVP, said RSVP has provided 500 people in the 15 rural counties with the medical-alert program.

"Unless we can get certified for Medicare/Medicaid and get reimbursed, we would have to charge about $30 to seniors to have Lifeline installed," she said. "If they already have Lifeline we'd have to charge $30 a month for the monitoring."

Many seniors can afford the program through state and federal funding. RSVP also fundraises to pay for about 35-40 percent of the costs for seniors.

"I feel for these people," Ayres said. "They are the really poor people and they need it the most."

All wellness fairs through July have been canceled. The restructured program, which will hold the fairs less often, will start up again in August.

The health-care system plans to recruit for a chief operating officer after the resignation of Kevin Stansbury two weeks ago, Glockner said.

Six months ago, the nonprofit, private health-care system opened its $132 million regional medical center at 1600 Medical Parkway and consolidated the rehabilitation center at the new location.

Ed Epperson, regional healthcare president and chief executive officer, said patient counts were not high enough after the hospital moved from 775 Fleischmann Way to justify the hospital's staff of 1,200.

Glockner declined to disclose the hospital's most recent patient counts, or the number of employees working in the departments that will be eliminated or cut.

In its first month of operation, the medical center averaged 108 patient visits a day and 2,809 patients were admitted to the emergency room, which was more patient visits on average than the old hospital.



• Contact reporter Becky Bosshart at bbosshart@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1212.

Changes at the medical center



Carson Tahoe's outpatient Behavioral Health Services will end by June 30

All patients will receive a letter with alternative mental health resources in the region. A list of resources is available at www.carsontahoe.com.

Programs provided in this department include: ADHD testing and treatment, adolescent intensive outpatient services, adult psychiatric/mood disorders, chemical dependency, dual diagnosis treatment, counseling and neurobehavioral services.



Carson Tahoe's Lifeline services will end by

June 16

All current subscribers will receive a letter with other resources. Those interested in joining the program should call Lifeline at 1-800-380-3111.



Carson Tahoe wellness fairs are canceled through July 31

Patients with appointments during this time will be notified. A new Wellness schedule will be available after July 15.



Carson Tahoe's Employee Assistance Program will end by June 30

Businesses that use this service line will be provided a list of alternative resources.



For more information on these changes call 866-284-9355 or visit www.carsontahoe.com.