( – promoted by odum)

(cross-posted from Beyond Vermont State Hospital blog, here)

UPDATE: August 31, 2011

In my role as director of Vermont Legal Aid’s Mental Health Law Project I’ve received a list of all our clients and where they’ve been moved to. We’re in the process of getting in touch with everyone to let them know that we’re on top of their cases and will stay in communication with them.

If anyone talks to one of the evacuated patients please let them know they can give us a call.

Jack McCullough

*Updated 5x* (view *updates* near bottom of post, below the fold)

News accounts and other sources have reported that the Vermont State Hospital (VSH) has been evacuated, with those locked up there being sent to various sites across the state, here (via Burlington Free Press).

State Representative Anne Donahue (R-Northfield), who also is editor of Counterpoint, reported (via e-mail; posted with direct permission):

I was at the state hospital this afternoon; many unsung heros there. They were without power beginning last night. Ground floor flooded several feet deep (this includes the intake offices and the Brooks Rehab patient unit.) Those patients were moved to spend the night in the treatment mall. Red Cross brought McDonald’s breakfasts this morning. The estimated time for repair of the state office complex is 2-3 weeks, thus beginning this morning, staff began identifying emergency placements for all 51 patients, and expected all evacuations to be completed by nightfall. About 16 going to the Brattleboro Retreat, 7 to Fletcher Allen, other scattered with staff in groups of 3 or less, one group temporarily housed at Springfield Corrections with their own VSH staff in a separated area. Doug Racine and Christine Oliver were on site throughout.  All was going on without power and with impaired phone contact… forget about electronic health records. I saw the chair of the dept of psychiatry at FAHC loading a cardboard box of patient files into his car to take to Burlington.

Longer e-mail from Anne Donahue (excerpted; posted with permission):

… estimated 2+ weeks before VSH can reopen.

Here’s the breakdown (I may miss a few):

16 Brattleboro Retreat

7 FAHC

7 to Southern Corr. Fac, staying on a separated unit with GMH (not corrections) staff

5 to Second Spring, which is temporarily accommodating an “over census”capacity

1 Meadowview

1 Pines Nursing Home

1 Lamoille (discharge was already anticipated)

3 Batelle House

4 [can’t read my scrawled notes]

Doesn’t quite add up perfectly…

In most cases, they were being accompanied by VSH staff, to be providing the necessary extra staff.

National Guard had been called in last night on standby if Plainfield dam had a water release, for an emergency evacuation then, which was not necessary. However, there was no electricity or food since losing power late yesterday, Staff functioned in the dark overnight. Reception and Brooks Rehab were flooded out (many feet of water), and Brooks Rehab patients stayed in the treatment wall.

This morning it became clear that restoration of power and other repairs would be  lengthy, and they began the process of making calls to place patients.

Doug Racine says BGS said it would be 2-3 weeks time for the campus, but he told them all efforts must focus on VSH first.

Patient files were being hand carried to go with patients.

[…]

The river surge power a was incredible. Office furniture was strewn around rooms. The staff locks on Brooks Rehab were knocked onto the floor. Everything was slippery with mud.

Racine, Christine Oliver, etc, etc, were there all afternoon.

[…]

So, as I understand it based on news accounts as well as other sources, including Anne Donahue among others, fifty-one (51) or so people who had up until today been locked up at VSH have been or currently are being transferred elsewhere across the state due to the recent flooding and damage caused by it.

This, however, potentially proves a point I have made over the years of how the state not only could have closed the state hospital long prior to now, but could have also relocated patients elsewhere in order to do so.

In my opinion, the state should not reopen VSH and, particularly for those placements that might only be considered more temporary in nature of one sort or another, the state should find other placements for those who could be elsewhere, including where appropriate, within permanent housing in the community of their choosing for those who should no longer be held at VSH or other such facilities but have continued to be held there due to lack of either other less restrictive setting placement or permanent housing, etc.

*Update 1*: Word is, much like most of the rest of the Waterbury office complex as I understand it, which includes the headquarters of the Agency of Human Services (AHS) as well as some of its departments, the Department of Mental Health (DMH) has no e-mail at this time, as their servers either had been underwater or are still without power or both.

Word also is that Washington County Mental Health Services (WCMHS) has taken ten (10) people total from VSH into Second Spring and other facilities of theirs.

WCMHS has also created shelter for nine (9) people from the Kirby House community care home within their transitional recovery program in Waterbury and have taken two additional residents to crisis beds and have arranged for cots through Red Cross for sleeping. The WCMHS “Sunrise House” day treatment program located in Montpelier is preparing and delivering food.

In addition, WCMHS provided support to residents during their evacuation and bus ride from a trailer park in Berlin and assisted Red Cross at the Barre City Auditorium.

Have also received word about how four (4) people from VSH were placed at Hill House and Robinson House at Counseling Service of Addison County.

*Update 2*: From the Burlington Free Press, here (paragraphs 18 and 19):

[…]

Nearby, the Vermont State Hospital, where 51 psychiatric patients were housed, was evacuated Monday. The patients were sent to various private facilities around the state and the state prison in Springfield. Some employees were sent with them and are being housed in motels, Mental Health Commissioner Christine Oliver said.

Oliver said the details of how much the state will pay those facilities or how long the patients will be there had not been worked out when the move was made. Racine said Wednesday that the arrangements were made with the expectation that they would be for weeks, but because it now appears it will take months to make repairs in Waterbury, some of those patients might have to be moved again.

[…]

*Update 3*: In response to the above update (i.e., update 2), which I had sent out via e-mail as well, someone replied with the following (posted with permission on condition of there being no attribution):

It takes a village to raise a child. It takes a hurricane to close a state hospital.

*Update 4*: Within an e-mail to Governor Peter Shumlin and top members of his administration, I shared the following (excerpted):

[…] based on conversations I have had with others who have been following and very interested in these matters whether via e-mail, instant messaging or in-person, I have found I am not alone in my sentiments that repairing and reopening the Vermont State Hospital (VSH) is not a wise or prudent decision, nor a good or best use of taxpayer dollars and other resources. This, particularly given how prior to tropical storm Irene and the destruction it caused, top members of the administration — including Agency of Human Services (AHS) Secretary Doug Racine — have previously stated how VSH should have been closed 20 years ago and is a not suitable or safe environment for persons who are locked up there or staff working there, nor could it be rehabilitated in order to improve it enough to make it more suitable either. The crisis at the state hospital and what to do with after the facility was damaged so significantly by tropical storm Irene should be taken as the opportunity that it is and VSH should be shuttered once and for all. It makes no sense to attempt to repair it as much as can be afforded when there are plans to close it down the road, no sense at all. That said, do not take my word for it, ask around and find out for yourself. If you have not already done so, please reconsider this decision very carefully.

Morgan W. Brown

Montpelier

For those who are so inclined, although he and members of his administration are quite busy with many other matters at the moment, now is the time to weigh in and share your views on the subject of VSH as well as the mental health system as a whole with Governor Shumlin, well before they proceed any further, here. This is well worth doing! It is now or never!

*Update 5*: It is my understanding that the Department of Mental Health (DMH) has received five (5) proposals that would reduce the numbers of VSH beds, however the proposal by Collaborative Solutions Corporation (CSC) would appear to completely eliminate the need for state hospital beds and allow for closing the facility.

That said, the proposal is still very much residential and institutional heavy, nor is it entirely truly community-based and certainly does not appear to include peer-based alternative approaches, nor permanent housing opportunities for people to move onto, either. In addition, many of the sites would have more than six beds, when three to six beds are better. Not too mention how this is still the medical model approach, highly dependent on the use of psychotropic medication, including of the forced drugging variety, not to mention shock treatment (ECT).

To my knowledge this proposal was written and submitted to DMH well prior to tropical storm Irene and done so in response to an informal request stated by DMH Commissioner Oliver for proposals for a community-based approach after the administration decided to go through the motions of reconsidering its plan to build a new version of the same old thing all while continuing to barrel ahead full steam with their original plans.

One fear is how the administration and others concerned could also now consider more fully rehabbing the existing VSH facility in Waterbury and remaining there when it is once again habitable, given how it would take at least a few months to restore enough to bring people and staff back again anyway, so what is another few or more months added on.

This despite how administration officials — including Agency of Human Services (AHS) Secretary Doug Racine — had previously stated how VSH could not be sufficiently rebuilt in order to provide a safe, sound facility.

Rather than being what it took to close VSH, tropical storm Irene could be what it takes to rebuild it and remain in place for 50 or more years.

Stayed tuned … (as additional information as well as reports become available, this post will be updated accordingly)

Then what do you say about this?

Conservative radio host Glenn Beck told listeners Friday that Hurricane Irene, the Category 1 storm that’s working its deadly way up the Eastern Seaboard, is “a blessing from God.”

And we now have another Christian Republican, Michelle Bachman, and what she had to say about the hurricane.

“I don’t know how much God has to do to get the attention of the politicians. We’ve had an earthquake; we’ve had a hurricane. He said, ‘Are you going to start listening to me here?’ Listen to the American people because the American people are roaring right now. They know government is on a morbid obesity diet and we’ve got to rein in the spending.”

They may not care, but even though the storm was weaker than predicted, it killed 37 people across the country, including at least three in Vermont.

The Republicans can feel free to cheer for natural disasters and the damage they cause, but those of us who live in the real world wind up having to deal with the consequences.

Grim news from the Governor’s office:

Vermont State Police now say three people have been killed and one is missing as a result of the storm.  A female was killed in the Deerfield River in Wilmington; a male was killed in Mendon after being swept away by floodwaters and his companion at the time is still missing and feared dead.  A male in his 40s was found dead in Lake Rescue in Ludlow earlier today.

Floodwaters have receded, but most rivers and streams remain above normal levels, and some are still dangerous in many areas.  Vermont officials recommend staying away from rivers that are still high and flowing rapidly.  You should stay out of all floodwaters because of pollutants or debris.

Motorists are still encouraged to stay off roadways as many are unsafe and what roads are open are needed by emergency responders, road crews, and utility crews.

Road closures are still too numerous to list.  Please call 511 or visit www.511vt.com for updated road closures.  The public is asked to NOT call 211 for road closures – those calls are hampering 211’s ability to help those who need shelter or other resources.

Additionally, 35,000 Vermonters are still without power. The press release from Shumlin’s office also advises people to be aware of electrocution danger in returning to flooded homes, and advises people doing so that they “must” have their wiring inspected by a licensed electrician. While sounding absolute, Vermont Emergency Management advises me that that “must” is really just a very, very strong advisory, rather than something truly mandated. If wires are wet, even if you don’t somehow zap yourself, you could seriously goof up your electrical system and create more problems.

Just a quick announcement, since a fair chunk of our readership works for the state. From the Gov’s office: “…all state offices have been authorized to  be completely closed on Monday, August 29, 2011. State office buildings will not be open for business, and only specifically authorized critical staff members should report for work at their designated alternate work sites. We anticipate that the state will open as normally scheduled on August 30, 2011. Employees should pay close attention to news and website updates before leaving for work on Tuesday, August 30th.”

I live in Vermont, near the New Hampshire border.  I work in both Vermont and New Hampshire, but most of my work is in New Hampshire.  

Though there are Democrats in the office of Governor in both states, the legislature is a highly different situation.  Republicans are a small minority in Vermont.  Between Democrats and Progressives, we have a veto proof majority here, something largely irrelevant when there’s a Democratic governor in place, but very important when there’s a Republican in power, such as when we overrode a veto to enact same sex marriage.

The situation is flipped in New Hampshire.  Republicans hold an overwhelming majority, enough to override vetoes in some cases, and they have been slashing budgets everywhere.  

I shall provide a simple example.

The above image is a Photoshop merge of the two state maps from the 511 road information service.  Specific sites are available for New Hampshire and Vermont.

Notice the difference?  

Vermont’s map is loaded with road closings and updated information.

New Hampshire got hit, too.  Not as badly as Vermont, but I know from various news sources and Facebook updates that there are roads in NH which are closed due to flooding.

I just have no way of getting detailed information.

The road around the corner from my house was closed yesterday afternoon.  It was indicated on the web site shortly after closing and it’s no longer listed there.

I’ve been checking the NH site from time to time hoping that someone would bother providing useful and adequate notifications.  

Not so much so.

My office is open today.  

I’m not complaining.  I love my job.  

The thing is… there are about five different ways I can get there and I have no clue whatsoever as to which of them are best.  I can make guesses, and I’m pretty good at that, but yesterday was amazing in terms of devastation and even though today looks to be okay, things are still in flux and I’m not liking the idea of driving into situations I do not know without clear understanding of where they stand.

Shouldn’t we be… you know… funding this sort of thing?

Tell us what’s happening where you are (so long as you have power, at least). Click on “Irene” below to track the storm.

NOTE: Tracker below (moved to extended diary) only updates every few hours, as it’s linked to updates from the National Hurricane Center only.

( – promoted by Sue Prent)

Watching weather.com tracking Hurricane Irene, listening to Mayor Bloomberg say, “Even if you have to walk, evacuate now.” Public housing units are shutting down (elevators, furnaces, water, electrical power), people being bussed out.

Where are all these people going? How does a homeless person get the news about special shelters? No one I’ve heard so far has even mentioned the word “homeless.”

(Lucky enough to have hatches that are battened here, though it’s likely to be just rain and a stiff wind if it gets to NW Vermont.)

( – promoted by Sue Prent)

Hopefully everyone is getting back to at least a new “normal,” following Irene.  So it’s about time we bring back the Green Mountain Gourmet feature contest.  This time, barring natural disaster, we’ll give everyone until Thursday, Sept. 22 to get their entries into the comments section.  Then our astute panel of jaw-flappers will declare a winnah!

As everyone gets a little “antsy” in the declining days of August,  we’ve cooked up a little contest for our GMD community to get your minds off the weather and your creative juices flowing.

We’d like to know what local food treasures you have found, whether at a farm stand, the corner store or even in your own backyard.  We’re inviting you, our readers, to become guest food-writers and describe for us as vividly as you can, two of the best local products you’ve found in your little corner of the world.  

All entries will be judged by our esteemed panel of career eaters and editors. One lucky writer will be named our “Green Mountain Gourmet” and receive the coveted prize of a GMD mug and one-pound of my favorite local coffee, “Woodchuck Blend” by Kahwa Coffee of Swanton, Vermont.

Woodchuck is a dark earthy roast, deeply satisfying and smooth.  It really delivers on the promise of its classic “fresh-perked” aroma, evoking memories of checkered tablecloths and my mother’s fresh-baked stollen.  Tastes so good it’ll bring tears to your eyes!



See how easy it is?  Here’s another:

My favorite ice cream discovery this summer is, not surprisingly, a local standout:  “Habanero Maple” by Island Ice Cream of Grand Isle, Vermont.  While all the Island flavors put the big names to velvety shame, “Habanero Maple” is the creme-de-la-ice-creme of gustatory narrative.  It begins its palatable journey on the tongue as a cool whisper, all satin-smooth dairy and quiet caramel. Melting sensuously down the throat, it bursts into crackling warmth as the pepper asserts itself for a grand finale.  Pure fireworks!

Okay, now it’s your turn…

Entries will be judged on mouth-water, stomach rumble;  and, probably, what I had for breakfast.  So sell it large and make it tasty, and you, too, could wash it all down with a big cup ‘o Chuck!

I finally decide to post something, get through a reasonably thoughtful piece (for me) about the wind debate, and the browser crashes taking the unsaved diary with it. Crud. Oh well.

Here, this seems topical:

(cross-posted from Vermont Watch, here)

Ongoing efforts concerning seriously as well as meaningfully addressing homelessness within Vermont:

Yours truly has been serving on two different subcommittees concerning the Vermont Intergency Council on Homelessness (VICH).

One concerns the VICH and the drafting of a new executive order. Four of us met once three weeks ago and, among other things oftentimes passionately discussed during the meeting, we commissioned one of our members to draft a version for us to get started on. We had agreed to continue our work via e-mail from there on out rather than meeting in person again. Received the initial draft this evening and, for my part, I have gone over it and suggested a version built and crafted from the original draft. There will of course be much more work done to it before it is ready to be presented to those attending the next VICH meeting as well as later on to the administration.

The other subcommittee I am serving on concerns the 10-year plan for ending homelessness. This subcommittee had its initial meeting two weeks ago and had even more people around the table for a long and productive discussion as well. There is another meeting of this particular subcommittee coming up on September 1st, however since it is being held in Waterbury and I do not have transportation and am disinclined to go begging for rides, will not be able to attend it.

There is a VICH meeting also being held in Waterbury afterwards, yet because I just received word there will be the means to attend it via video conferencing at various sites across the state including Barre, it looks like I will be able to be present for that one. Had not been able to attend the last VICH meeting in person, but did so via phone and that means does not really work so well, thus I think the video conferencing should improve things quite a bit.

Although much of this is taking place deep behind the scenes and is happening somewhat slowly with a lot more hard work ahead, it is my belief that we are on course to have good proposals to move forward with which to present to the administration in time for them to consider well prior to what they might put forward to the state legislature upon their return next January (2012).