‘VIDEO COURT COMMITMENT PROGRAM’ WINS HONOR FOR NORTHWEST CENTER FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH

A “Video Court Commitment Program,” designed and implemented by the Northwest Center for Behavioral Health Center, received a “Governor’s Commendation” award at “Quality Oklahoma Team Day 2005.”

The event, May 5, is held annually at the state capitol to honor state agencies that develop money-saving projects that display results, innovation and use quality-management techniques resulting in taxpayer savings.

The Northwest Center for Behavioral Health, at the request of Kay County Judge Rob Galbraith and defense attorney Lee Stout, and in cooperation with the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill’s Oklahoma City chapter, implemented a process to conduct court commitment mental health hearings via audio/video internet connections. To date, equipment has been placed in three counties – Kay and Garfield Counties, with plans for Texas County – with high emergency detention percentages, at a cost of approximately $5,000. The use of this equipment has eliminated clinical staff downtime while traveling to and from hearings, law enforcement salaries to transport patients to and from hearings, fuel and vehicle wear and tear, and, most importantly, undue stress on the patient while maintaining continuous, consistent treatment, said Northwest Center for Behavioral Health Executive Director Steve Norwood.

Cost savings through January 2005 for salaries and vehicle use were approximately $6,165, with savings for all of 2005 projected at nearly $26,000. Additional uses for the technology could save another $22,668 in 2005, as well as allowing clinical staff more time with clients and less time in travel status.

Project team members included Norwood, Richard White, Scott Miller, Lois Jantz and Nancy Petree.

Northwest Center for Behavioral Health, a state-run facility of the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, is based in Woodward, with satellite facilities in Enid, Alva, Fairview, Fort Supply, Guymon, Guthrie and Kingfisher.

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