L’ANSE — Baraga County Memorial Health has two new programs to respond to emergency room patients with potential psychiatric problems. 

An increasing number of patients with behavioral health needs have been coming to the emergency room, hospital Chief Executive Officer Rob Stowe told the Baraga County Board Monday night. 

One recent addition is the “sitter” program. When a physician declares it necessary, a BCMH employee will come to sit with a behavioral patient. The sitter would notify staff if the patient tries to leave or becomes a threat to themself or others.

“That’s something that was previously done on and off by the sheriff’s department, and really put a strain on their manpower,” Stowe said. “So in the last 60 days or so we finalized that program and have used it a time or two a week.”

In addition a 24/7 telemedicine support system is also on the verge of coming online, which will give the hospital access to board-certified psychiatric physicians. Stowe expects the contract with telemedicine vendor Avel to be finalized in the next two to three months. 

“At the touch of a button, we’ll have a board-certified psychiatrist available to help do the assessments for should this patient be in need of an in-patient setting, or possibly for medication management help as well,” he said. “…It’ll be good to bounce those things off of those highly qualified individuals.”

More than 300 hospitals nationwide are working with Avel, Stowe said. BCMH will be the first in the Upper Peninsula. 

BCMH collaborated with Copper Country Mental Health on the project. For patients who are indigent or on Medicaid must undergo a screening through CCMH before getting an in-patient bed in Michigan. 

Some patients have been in the emergency room for as many as eight days while staff try to find an in-patient bed in the state. The last time the hospital tried to place a patient, the social worker made 41 calls, Stowe said. 

“It’s very challenging and these kinds of creative thinking are what we’re trying to do to see what resources we can bring to bear,” he said. 

In other action, the board:

• congratulated Pam Anderson on her retirement from Baragaland Senior Citizens after 37 years. 

• appointed Abigail Prentice and Jeffrey Sweers as deputy medical examiners.

• approved an additional $900 for the magistrate salary to correct a request approved at the June meeting.

•approved making Jill Beeler deputy magistrate after her training with the State Court Administrative Office. 

• approved a resolution opposing a proposed administrative rule change to the federal Wagner-Peyser Act, which funds local Michigan Works units. An estimated 300 of the 400 Michigan Works jobs statewide could be eliminated by the change.