Mental Health leases 8 new homes

by Nick Delgado

Guam - In the midst of trying to comply with the mandates of a federal court order, the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse has secured more homes to place its consumers. The agency feels it's coming real close to doing things on its own, and freeing itself from the federal management team. Mental Health is ready to make its presentation before District Court Judge Consuelo Marshal in August now that it's secured eight new homes to place its consumers.

Mental Health clinical psychologist Dr. Lindsey Miller said, "They serve two different populations - those with severe mental illness and those with intellectual disabilities or development disabilities. Part of the amended permanent injunction was to make sure individuals weren't stuck in our Inpatient Unit."

The agency gave KUAM News a tour of the new facilities in Dededo that come fully-furnished, including household appliances. Arlene Santos is the residential recovery program administrator and explained, "We provide everything in the home that you would normally find in any home; working to make sure they have everything from pots and pans to a TV, where they can come home and relax like it's their home. Our administrators have been very supportive in that."

In addition to the exiting homes in Asan, Liguan Terrace and Dededo, Mental Health now has four additional homes in the northern village that are leased at $1,600 a month, and four apartment units in Tamuning leased at about $500 a month. The lease is a partnership with the Guam Housing and Urban Renewal Authority, and the funds came from the estimated $8 million the court ordered GovGuam pay to the FMT.

"The additional homes mean there is no longer a waiting list for consumers needing residential placement," Dr. Miller continued. "And not only are they just placement, but it also provides the level are they need, the individualized services."

According to FMT's Dr. James Kiffer, at one point there were nearly ten consumers on the waiting list. The department has also hired about 100 clinical employees and psychiatric technicians. Santos says this will make sure services do not fall through the cracks. "They move from level to level until we feel they are independent and to the apartments you saw earlier at that point they are basically independent, we just come in periodically and check if they are still taking their medications and doing OK," he said.

Santos calls the staff at Mental Health "miracle workers" as she says they were able to secure these additional homes in the last six months. "We are hoping the department will be able to take over once the FMT has completed its task, we are almost there," she said.

Mental Health will go before the District Court on August 22.