House Community Budget Issue Requests - Tracking Id #360 Purchase of 2214 E. Henry Ave.
Requester:	Julian Rice		Organization:		Mental Health Care, Inc.
Project Title:	Purchase of 2214 E. Henry Ave.		Date Submitted:		01/19/2000 2:20:08 PM
District Member:	Sandra Murman		Service Area:		County
Counties Affected:	Hillsborough
Recipient:	Mental Health Care, Inc.		Contact:		Julian Rice
	5707 N. 22nd Street		Contact Phone:		(813) 272-2244
	Tampa 33610
Project Description:
Mental Health Care, Inc. is the community mental health center and designed public receiving facility for Hillsborough County. An opportunity arose in 1998 which would allow Mental Health Care, Inc. the ability to purchase the builing at 2214 East Henry Avenue in Tampa, which had been county owned since its construction in 1972. This building has housed a diversionary 17 bed Residential Treatment Program as well as another not-for-profit agency, the Hillsborough County Crisis Center, for many years. The Hillsborough County Crisis Center has moved to another facility, which affords Mental Health Care, Inc. the opportunity to enhance and expand the Residential Treatment Program.
Services Provided/Benefit to State:
In a 1988 lawsuit {Johnson vs. Sellars (formerly Johnson vs. Kurtz)} was filed against G. Pierce Woods Memorial Hospital. After the lawsuit was filed various state agencies investigated the Baker Act and state hospitalization systems and determined that the cencus for this particular state hospital needed to be reduced drastically. Consequently, programs were created in the various districts to divert individuals who are at risk for state hospital placement. These Residential Treatment Programs currently provide diversion services for G. Pierce Woods State Hospital, which is under s federal consent decree relevant to the Johnson vs. Sellars decision. The assessment was made relative to the consent decree in 1995 and Mental Health Care, Inc.'s Residential Treatment Program (RTP) has been providing diversionary services for individuals who have been mandated to G. Pierce Woods Hospital for involuntary treatment since that time period. The Residential Treatment Program is also an integral part of the Department of Children & Families alcohol, Drug Abuse and Mental Health's District VI plan to exit the Johnson vs. Sellars consent decree, and was sied as a best practice by the Federal Court monitors as a diversion to G. Pierce Woods Memorial Hospital.
Measurable Outcome Anticipated:
The purchase of the 2214 E. Henry Avenue property will have both a clinical and financial benefit to the community. Approximately 80 individuals are at risk annually for admission to G. Pierce Woods State Hospital and will benefit from the Residential Treatmant Program by being maintained in the community. Additionally, this purchase makes fiscal sense in that the facility is already zoned and licensed by the Agency for Health Care Administration. During the past fiscal year, Mental Health Care, Inc. has invested money in renovation of the facility to improve quality of care for the consumers served. This facility is also co-located within the Mental Health Care's Emergency Services Campus which ensures a continuum of care. The Baker Act system is Hillsborough County has been recognized locally and nationally for the innovative application of Florida Statutes 394 resulting in a true partnership of Hillsborough County, State of Florida, and local health care providers.
Amount requested from the State for this project this year:				$250,000
Total cost of the project:		$250,000

Request has been made to fund:			Unknown
Is there Local Government or Private match for this request?				No
Was this project previously funded by the State?				No
Is future-year funding likely to be requested?				No
Was this project included in an Agency's Budget Request?				Yes
	Agency:	Children And Families, Department Of
Was this project included in the Governor's Recommended Budget?				Yes
Is there a documented need for this project?				Yes
	Documentation:	Johnson vs. Sellars lawsuit/consent decree
Was this project request heard before a publicly noticed meeting of a body of elected officials (municipal, county, or state)?				No