UW Health SwedishAmerican Hospital CEO Travis Andersen disputes the murder suspect’s claims that he was discharged from the hospital without receiving mental health treatment.
Timothy Carter, 28, of Cavery, Illinois, stabbed Auburn High School student Jason Jenkins, 18, in the back while he was working at the Northridge Drive Walmart on March 24 around 6 p.m. He has been charged with murder. Mr. Jenkins was taken to the hospital, where he died later that night.
Carter told police he was taken from Rosecrance Behavioral Health after he threatened to commit suicide. Rosecrance Behavioral Health said in a statement that patients “may be referred to a higher level of care if they are assessed to be at significant risk of self-harm or self-harm.” Says. and others” — to Swedish American Hospital.
Carter told police he was taken to a hospital but “did not receive mental health treatment and was released,” according to a summary of facts in court records.
In recent comments, Mr. Andersen said he could not discuss the details of Mr. Carter’s case due to privacy laws, but he said he could not discuss the details of Mr. Carter’s case because of privacy laws. He talked about what measures were being taken.
Dr. Andersen said that under the Emergency Medical Care Labor Act, hospitals are required to “examine patients who come to our hospitals seeking treatment.”
“It’s the law,” Andersen said.
sorted and stabilized
SwedishAmerican operates a 42-bed inpatient psychiatric unit. On average, 21 beds are occupied.
Andersen expressed his condolences to Jenkins’ family and said he has his thoughts and prayers in mind. He said the hospital’s mission is to build healthy communities, which he considers a “core institution.”
The law requires hospitals to provide appropriate testing and stable treatment. However, it is not specified what kind of treatment will be given and for how long. Andersen said patients must meet certain criteria to be admitted to a psychiatric ward.
“There are processes and algorithms to go through that are based on nationally recognized evidence and monitored by accrediting bodies to make sure we are following evidence-based protocols,” Andersen said.
University of Wisconsin Health officials said Swedish American Airlines is trained to provide “timely and appropriate care for mental health needs in the emergency department,” as well as patients experiencing mental health crises. It said it has designated a safe room for full-time social workers and mental health professionals.
What does it mean for Andersen to “see” the patient?
“When we think about seeing patients, we provide evidence-based protocols and evidence-based medicine based on national accrediting bodies,” Andersen said. “There is a process that we follow to ensure that patients, those who present, regardless of whether they have a disease or not, are treated and have a plan in place.”
Threat detection “failed”
After Carter left Swedish American, he went to Walmart on Northridge Drive and attacked Jenkins, police said. Records do not indicate how much time passed between his discharge from the hospital and the attack at Walmart. There is also no indication how Mr. Carter ended up at Walmart.
Nick Zimmerman, the Winnebago County public defender representing Carter, declined to comment.
Former Rockford School Board member Mike Williams said it was clear that the evaluation process and procedures “failed to adequately determine that this individual was a threat to himself or others.”
“At this time, we do not know whether our mental health agencies are communicating with each other regarding potential threats to personal or public safety,” Williams said in an email to the Register-Star. “What we do know is that this individual contacted numerous mental health agencies, none of which responded when he asked for help during a personal mental health crisis.”
take away freedom
Dick Kunert, former director of the now-closed Singer Mental Health Center and vice president of the Winnebago County Community Mental Health Board, said Swedish-American staff held people against their will. He said proof is needed for involuntary hospitalization.
Did the person say anything that gave hospital staff evidence that they were a danger to themselves or others?
Kunert said in a phone interview that not enough details about the incident are known.
“Under the Mental Health Act, where I worked, the issue would have been to determine whether the person was a threat to themselves or to others,” Kunert said. “That’s the only reason you can take away someone’s freedom and lock them up in a locked place. I simply don’t have enough information about the details of this case.”
‘My heart hurts’
Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara said Rockford and Winnebago County are making progress on health care, including the creation of a new joint crisis response team funded by the voter-approved half-cent mental health sales tax. He pointed to mental health care programs.
Mr McNamara said the incident was a “reminder that we have come a long way, but we all still have much work to do”.
“My heart breaks for Jason, the Jenkins family, and everyone who knew and loved this young man,” McNamara said in an email. “For someone to come to our town and commit such an act of indiscriminate violence shakes us to our core.”
Jeff Kolkey writes about government, economic development and other issues for the Rockford Register-Star. Contact him at (815) 987-1374, email jkolkey@rrstar.com, and on Twitter. @jeffkolkey.
