Since 1982 A.F. Whitsitt Center has survived many national administration changes, the ebb and flow of funding and major restructuring including the 2009 closure of Upper Shore Community Health Center and subsequent addition of treatment wing.
Throughout these changes, the Center has continued to deliver life-saving residential treatment to people suffering from chemical dependency and co-occurring disorders and now they face a new challenge—adjusting to the end of their primary grant funding resource.
Andrew Pons, Clinical Director of A.F. Whitsitt Center met with the Spy on Monday to allay any fears that there is an impending closure due to the end of the Behavioral Health Administration’s grant. The Center will continue with its services.
“At the end of this fiscal year, the Behavioral Health administration said that all grant funding for residential treatment will end. What we are doing right now is exploring alternatives so that we can continue to deliver high-quality care that the Center is known for, in a different configuration that will include fee for service,” Pons said.
He added that there were many options to consider and that their in-house strategic planning group is reviewing their budget and training for the change from state grant funding to a fee for service model that would depend primarily on Medicaid reimbursement.
“Dr. Spencer (the attending physician at Whitsitt Center) spoke with Dr. Basron, head of the BHA, and she has assured us that Whitsitt is a viable alternative to private sector options that are open.”
With many variables to consider, including treatment quality codes, Pons said that the Center doesn’t want to compromise on any aspect of their treatment but particularly with detox.
“The majority of people we get in treatment these days are in need of detox from opiates: pain medication and heroin. 70% of our admissions are opiate-based, Medicaid won’t pay for detox from opiates because it’s not a life-threatening situation. We’re in the middle of a heroin epidemic and they won’t pay for it.”
That has not deterred Whitsitt from detox treatment. Pons says that they will continue to ease people through the five day withdrawal period.
One consideration for changing the reimbursement structure is to install a separate track for mental health because 60% of the people who come in for substance abuse have a co-occurring disorder like depression, anxiety, bipolar, PTSD.
Citing Warwick Manor as an example of the private sector’s separation of mental health and substance abuse for strategic billing purposes, Pons sees that separation as an avenue to keep the level of care at Whitsitt Center up to their standards.
Of course, with a promised replacement of the Affordable Care Act by the Trump Administration, national and local health programs across the board face uncertainty.
A.F. Whitsitt Center treated over 600 people in 2016. Currently, 37 people are in residential treatment. Even with an extensive waiting list, wait times average about seven days.
For more about all of A.F. Whitsitt’s inpatient and outpatient services, go here.
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