The recent second denial of a Certificate of Need proposed by U.S. HealthVest to establish a behavioral hospital for veterans in Newnan does not sit well with some in the Coweta County community. Whether U.S. HealthVest will appeal the most recent denial is not yet known.
The Coweta Veterans Commission (CVC) initially hosted a meeting in February that brought representatives from Coweta and Fayette counties and a number of interested parties together to address the previous state denial of the proposed behavioral hospital in Newnan. Veterans were adamant that such a facility is needed locally.
The February meeting was held to inform veterans that U.S. HealthVest would appeal the decision by the Ga. Dept. of Community Health. That appeal recently resulted in a second denial.
“Members of the Coweta County Board of Commissioners continue to be very disappointed at the state’s decision to deny the U.S. Healthvest Certificate of Need,” said Coweta County Commission Chairman Bob Blackburn. “We believe there is a great demand for a behavioral facility of this type in Coweta County. The citizens of our county have indicated to us that they support the location of such a facility in Coweta County. I believe the issues already discussed show a need for such a facility in Coweta. Hopefully, local efforts will result in the issuance of the Certificate of Need.”
Representatives of U.S. HealthVest did not respond to requests by The Citizen about the company’s plans to appeal the most recent CON denial.
The proposal to locate the facility in the old Newnan Hospital would have the psychiatric hospital serving an area that includes, Coweta, Fayette, Heard, Troup and Meriwether counties. As proposed, the psychiatric hospital would provide acute care and be geared to provide in-patient and out-patient, emergency and walk-in services.
U.S. HealthVest Vice President Stacie York at the February met with veterans and others from the Coweta and Fayette communities interested in having the behavioral hospital established.
An audience member at the February meeting asked about the Veterans Administration protocol when a local veteran suffers a mental crisis. Others in the audience answered, saying the vet is required to be admitted to facilities in Columbus or Villa Rica.
Weighing in on the topic, Coweta County Sheriff Mike Yeager noted the current procedure required when a vet experiencing a psychiatric crisis is picked up by deputies. If determined by medical staff after an initial evaluation that involuntary admission to a facility is needed, a deputy must transport the vet to Columbus.
“We’ve had several of these on given days. Three to five deputies on the road to Columbus and back. It can be 6-8 hours before a deputy is back in the (Coweta) community,” Yeager said. “One of the biggest mental health providers in Georgia are county jails. And counties and taxpayers foot the bills.”
Asked if the Newnan Behavioral Hospital could provide an effective substitute for the Columbus facility, York said it could while providing an expedited admissions process.
York during the discussion also noted that the hospital would accept admissions regardless the ability to pay. Her comment was in response to a statement by Coweta VFW and American Legion representative Glenn Flake who explained that the community is home to a number of vets who have limited funds. Others said another problem with treatment is the distance required to drive for needed services.
Studies indicate that 25-50 people per 100,000 will need the services of a psychiatric hospital. With a proposed 60-bed hospital, the facility would easily accommodate the five county service area, York said.
