Home > News > 2008 > Public Advocate Addresses Conditions of Ancora Psychiatric Hospital, Provides Recommendations, 2/28/08
Public Advocate Addresses Conditions of Ancora Psychiatric Hospital, Provides Recommendations, 2/28/08
Media Advisory Public Advocate Addresses Conditions of Ancora Psychiatric Hospital, Provides Recommendations to Assembly Human Services Committee TRENTON, NJ – Public Advocate Ronald K. Chen testified before the Assembly Human Services Committee today addressing the problems at Ancora Psychiatric Hospital and providing recommendations. "Only by making it a smaller hospital with more effective psychiatric treatment will we make it a better hospital," Chen said. Many patients, in fact, are cleared for discharge, but still remain in the hospital waiting for an opening in a community based program or are seeking a residence. This includes 340 of the 704 patients at Ancora. By transitioning individuals from psychiatricfacilities to one of the 82 residential health care facilities in the state, New Jersey would save tax dollars and the patients, receive improved quality of treatment, according to the Public Advocate. Strengthening this housing resource would downsize the census and redeploy staff to eliminate unnecessary overtime. In addition to taking advantage of residential health care facilities, the Public Advocate stressed the need for improved management and training of hospital staff. Statewide, there are approximately 1000 patients in state and county psychiatric hospitals who have been discharged but remain in the hospital, awaiting placement in a community setting, with the state paying the majority of the cost of their care. Based on the state Fiscal Year 2008 budget, DHS will spend about $130,000 per person, to treat one patient in the hospital.
Read the Public Advocate's Testimony and Recommendations on the problems at Ancora Psychiatric Hospital
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