CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A Kanawha County judge says the state needs to speed up plans to improve services for those with brain injuries.
At a hearing Friday, Circuit Judge Duke Bloom called it unacceptable that Department of Health and Human Resources officials say it could be more than 18 months before they implement a new program for victims of traumatic brain injury.
"Well, that's not good enough," the judge said. "These people have been waiting forever."
The program would help people with transportation, cognitive rehabilitation therapy, case management and other services.
Last year, Bloom ordered DHHR to take numerous steps to improve. That was after a series of hearings about problems with state services for those with mental illness. DHHR officials have appealed the orders in court, but say they are working to comply with them.
Under one court order, the department was supposed to seek a federal Medicaid waiver for people with traumatic brain injuries by Jan. 1. A waiver allows people to get services in their homes, rather than being institutionalized.
The state has finished a draft of the application, but has not submitted it to the federal government.
After finalizing the draft application, officials must hold public hearings and deal with a number of procurement issues before submitting the waiver application, Cindy Beane of the Bureau for Medical Services told Bloom.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A Kanawha County judge says the state needs to speed up plans to improve services for those with brain injuries.
At a hearing Friday, Circuit Judge Duke Bloom called it unacceptable that Department of Health and Human Resources officials say it could be more than 18 months before they implement a new program for victims of traumatic brain injury.
"Well, that's not good enough," the judge said. "These people have been waiting forever."
The program would help people with transportation, cognitive rehabilitation therapy, case management and other services.
Last year, Bloom ordered DHHR to take numerous steps to improve. That was after a series of hearings about problems with state services for those with mental illness. DHHR officials have appealed the orders in court, but say they are working to comply with them.
Under one court order, the department was supposed to seek a federal Medicaid waiver for people with traumatic brain injuries by Jan. 1. A waiver allows people to get services in their homes, rather than being institutionalized.
The state has finished a draft of the application, but has not submitted it to the federal government.
After finalizing the draft application, officials must hold public hearings and deal with a number of procurement issues before submitting the waiver application, Cindy Beane of the Bureau for Medical Services told Bloom.
The program would serve 75 patients in the first year, said Beane, who is director of policy and administrative services for BMS. It could grow to help 125 people within three years.
Pending state legislation (SB657 and HB4610) would create a sustainable funding source for brain-injury services by increasing fees for accident reports and imposing $50 court fees on DUI offenders.
Experts say about half of all brain injuries caused by motor vehicles are alcohol-related.
Bloom told lawyers in the case he is "interested in results, rather than arbitrary dates."
The judge said he was pleased to hear about progress at Mildred Mitchell-Bateman Hospital in Huntington, which has struggled with overcrowding and low pay.
Bureau for Health and Health Facilities Commissioner Vickie Jones said Bateman has made "vast improvements" in recent months.
DHHR officials have also worked to improve their relationship with behavioral health providers, and are making headway on plans for new group homes, day treatment and other services for people with mental illness, she said.
Reach Alison Knezevich at alis...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-1240.
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