State declines ECMC grant request for psychiatric program projects

This is the second story in a continuing series by News 4 Investigates on the region's mental health crisis and how it affects ECMC CPEP, the region's only 24-hour emergency psychiatric program. The News 4 Investigates team spoke with former patients critical of the facility's care for the first story on Thursday.

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) -- ECMC has big plans for its comprehensive psychiatric emergency program (CPEP) at its hospital on Grider Street in Buffalo.

But the money isn't there.

At the end of last year, ECMC applied for a grant seeking $13.6 million through the state Department of Health's Health Care Facility Transformation Program to modernize CPEP, expand the emergency department and upgrade the trauma center's helipad.

The request came at a time when the hospital was under scrutiny from former patients armed with a list of complaints about long wait times to see a doctor, inhumane care and conditions, acts of violence in the milieu, rude employees, and poor communication with family members.

About $1.6 million of the grant request was to improve CPEP, including work to:

• Renovate the adolescent treatment area into a new group activity area
• Enhance comfort and quiet rooms to help with de-escalation efforts
• Expand nursing stations to integrate social workers into the treatment area
• Connect public waiting area with the patient advocate office to improve communications between staff and families

This specific grant was open to only hospitals with Level 1 trauma centers, and the focus had to be on emergency departments.

But seven months later, the state denied the request. A state health department spokeswoman said Friday that they exercised their authority to not offer debriefings to unsuccessful applicants, such as ECMC.

"It was a surprise to not get it," said Ronald Schoelerman, vice president for behavioral health at ECMC.

Both Schoelerman, and Michelle Seay, assistant vice president for ECMC's CPEP, were recently hired to address the complaints from current and former patients, as well as their family members.

"I was very surprised that it was denied," Seay added. "I was for sure that we were going to be making the renovations that we had planned on making. We were doing walk throughs, and how can we make better changes for our patients and for the care area."

Mark O'Brien, Erie County's commissioner for the office of mental health, said he was involved in several unannounced visits to CPEP. While the group did not spot anything that could lead to sanctions or licensure issues, there were certainly obvious design flaws.

"Would I have designed it like that?" said Mark O'Brien, Erie County's commissioner of the office of mental health. "Probably not."

Until ECMC can modernize CPEP, O'Brien said his office and community partners continue education efforts to steer the public to the correct resources.

"We don't want you to have to go to CPEP if you don't need to go to CPEP," O'Brien said.

CPEP is for those in a mental health crisis that pose a danger to others or themselves.

Patients can go voluntarily or be sent by law enforcement or behavioral health experts against their will under the state's mental health laws. Once admitted to CPEP, patients typically cannot leave without being discharged by a doctor or by a court order.

But O'Brien said the facility is not designed to be "all things to all people."

Alternative resources are available, he said, and his office is spending resources to get the word out.

One of those projects is called Eriepath, a phone app that assists parents and caregivers with mental health challenges.

"And we're going to continue to advertise it," O'Brien said.

"But if we can get help for you on the hotline, get help to you in the community, get help to come to your house, and keep you from going to CPEP, and save those visits for the people that really need it, then we've improved the system."

If you or a loved one is in mental health crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing 988.

For a list of community resources, click here.

For a list of programs and services, click here.