An April 22 hearing before Coweta County Superior Court Judge Emory Palmer on the fate of the proposed Newnan Behavioral Hospital resulted in no decision on an appeal supported by local residents. The appeal hearing followed a 2014 state denial of the proposed hospital’s Certificate of Need (CON).
Many in Coweta and Fayette counties, especially veterans, for years have wanted a behavioral hospital in Newnan that could serve veterans and others. After it was denied last year, the April 22 hearing represented the last chance for citizens to have their say on the issue.
The proposed Newnan Behavioral Hospital is intended to serve as a psychiatric and substance abuse facility at the site of the old Newnan Hospital on Hospital Road.
The certificate of need (CON) submitted by U.S. HealthVest and heavily supported by the community was denied by the Ga. Dept. of Community Health (DCH) in 2014.
More than 130 people from Coweta and Fayette counties attended the Wednesday hearing, with most supporting the need for the hospital.
Palmer at the conclusion of the hearing told representatives from U.S. Healthvest, proponents of the hospital, and Tanner Medical Center in Villa Rica, opponents of the hospital, to provide a 7-page report by May 15 stating their case. DCH was also told to provide its report.
If the CON denial is eventually overturned by Palmer, either Tanner or DCH can petition to have the matter heard by the state appeals court.
Commenting on the need for the hospital and the outcome of the April 22 hearing, Coweta Veterans Commission co-Chair Malcolm Jackson said, “Coweta County needs this local hospital to serve our local population to prevent patients from having to travel long distances for behavioral care. The hospital would also make a special effort to provide service to our veterans. If the CON denial is not overturned I don’t see a bright future for (the hospital).”
U.S. HealthVest Vice President Stacie York at a previous meeting noted that various Coweta County professionals in the field sent 75 letters of support in recommending that the CON be approved. Once the CON was denied, U.S. HealthVest appealed the decision, as did the Coweta County and Newnan governments. York said it is unusual to have a city and county government issue an appeal.
Newnan Mayor Keith Brady and Coweta County Commissioner attended the Wednesday hearing.
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.
An audience member at a previous meeting asked the Veterans Administration protocol if 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 said the current procedure requires that a vet experiencing a psychiatric crisis be 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 at the meeting said another problem with treatment is the distance required to drive for needed services.
Continuing the topic, Jackson said that for some veterans, “If they can’t make the trip they can’t get the treatment.”
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.
