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This past week there have been several public meetings in the area to talk about the health of our community and Ely-Bloomenson Community Hospital. This was part of the community health needs assessment the hospital was undergoing.
At the Grand Ely Lodge a group of around 20 community members answered questions and discussed their thoughts on what the community needs are from mental health to ambulance to home health care.
The two-hour meeting ended with the group coming up with a list of seven items that have the greatest need in the community. Then each participant was asked to cast three votes.
Number one by far was more services for mental health and substance abuse disorders. While this may or may not be something the hospital can help with, it is something everyone in the room agreed is a top need.
Finishing second was ambulance and non-emergency transportation with the five other needs close behind from the nursing home and assisted living to home health care.
That night a police report from Babbitt revealed just how much our area, and the rest of our country, is struggling to deal with mental health.
The incidents included a report of a male with a firearm experiencing a mental health crisis, a report of a juvenile female having suicidal thoughts, an adult female attempting suicide by prescription overdose and an adult female brandishing a knife and other sharp objects attempting to harm herself. The female was transported to the hospital for evaluation.
We live in a divided country politically, at times right down the middle. Look no further than St. Paul to see the House of Representatives split evenly 67-67 between Republicans and Democrats. Does political division contribute?
Somehow we need to find better solutions, especially with mental health. Look no further than a local police report for evidence of the top issue.
