"The many colors of bipolar mood disorder" Dale Chihuly art (Internet) |
Years ago EvergreenHealth planned a 14 transitional care bed unit to keep their acute mentally-ill patients from being "boarded" in the Emergency Department.
They later decided against building the unit and instead remodeled the emergency department and partitioned 7 "Rainier beds" from the working part of the department for peace and quiet until services could be found. Sometimes it takes weeks.
They sponsored a community awareness event several years ago emphasizing 1 in 4 have a mental health "disease." It was an excellent free educational forum; surprisingly none of the 7 commissioners attended.
Staff was considering an "Outpatient Mental Health Urgent Care" clinic 2020 but momentum was lost by onset of the pandemic. Providence in Everett pioneered one of the first mental health urgent care clinic's in the Nation; during the pandemic if proved great success.
For friends and family needing psychiatric diagnosis and treatment, Overlake Medical Center offers a variety of services, including 16 in-patient hospital beds, day care and an outpatient clinic.
For friends and family needing psychiatric diagnosis and treatment, Overlake Medical Center offers a variety of services, including 16 in-patient hospital beds, day care and an outpatient clinic.
EvergreenHealth offers telepsychiatry for "in-home mental health service," restricted to adult King county Medicaid patients living distant from Evergreen. An application is required.
Several "soft" programs are offered, including: 1) a levy-supported "Community Health Access Team." 2) Smokey Point behavioral health evaluations, 3) Grief and Bereavement Services, 4) Social work youth suicide program with L.W.S.D. (no other district, 5) Perinatal mood, and anxiety care.
COVID brought to the surface the high incidence of depression, anxiety, OCD, and substance abuse. Virtual psychiatric evaluations, diagnosis, therapy and treatment have proven to be effective. Evergreen should jump all over this opportunity.
Bob Yoder, updated: 4/5/2024
Glass artist Dale Chihuly is struggling with his mental health. At 76 and still in the throes of a decades-long glass artist career, he discussed his bipolar mood disorder for the first time in an interview with The Associated Press. Several photos of his amazing glass art are included in this article. I'm not sure if Mr. Chihuly has passed away.
Brain disorders are generational in my family. by