A dwindling amount of inpatient psychiatric beds are available in Santa Barbara County, according to a grand jury report released last July. The lack of beds was one issue brought up Tuesday by Roger Thompson, who serves as an alternate on the county’s Mental Health Commission.

Mental health advocates and consumers filled the audience at Tuesday’s commission meeting, many voicing hearty praise for Thompson’s suggestions, which include more voluntary mental health care and inpatient facilities for children and the elderly.

At the time the grand jury report was issued, only 16 beds were available to involuntary patients. Involuntary patients are defined as individuals who present a danger to others or themselves as a result of a mental illness. Involuntary patients also may be “gravely disabled,” or unable to provide food, clothing or shelter for themselves.

As a result of the lack of provision for the rest of the patients, more than 400 per year are transported to Vista del Mar, a hospital in Ventura, which adds up to an annual cost of more than $1 million.

One woman who spoke during Tuesday’s public comment period said she recently tried to find a place in the county to be voluntarily hospitalized. She was unsuccessful and had to be driven to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, where she was admitted as an inpatient. “I don’t know how we can keep a county on budget if there’s no voluntary placement in this county,” forcing people to seek treatment elsewhere, she said.

Santa Barbara County Alcohol, Drug, and Mental Health Services ran a deficit last year, causing the department to reduce spending in 2009 by $8.4 million.

A large part of ADMHS’ budget comes from medical payments, which are routinely late. The agency then borrows money from the county’s General Fund, which then charges them interest. Last year, interest payments alone equaled $800,000, according to the report, which also states that the county contributes about 4 percent less than other counties for mental health.

Cottage Hospital has a 20-bed psychiatric and substance detox unit, but those beds are available for voluntary patients only. The county had a contract with the hospital until recently, when it was ended for financial reasons. Thompson said he would like negotiations with the hospital to begin again.

Thompson, who is hoping to be appointed to a vacant commissioner’s seat, has served as an alternate since April on the commission, which is made of up of members appointed by each of the county’s five supervisors. Thompson is also executive director of the Consumer Advocacy Coalition, a mental health advocacy group.

Thompson and committee member James Rohde also have formed a committee dedicated to consumers. The committee, which will begin meeting as soon as it gets the go-ahead from the county, would reach out to consumers, family members and concerned residents.

Public comment on Tuesday revealed plenty of that concern.

“Every single day, we are in crisis, and this commission needs to begin acting like we are in crisis,” said Mike Foley, executive director of the homeless shelter Casa Esperanza. He said the team that performs outreach from the department of mental health is outstanding, with some of the best success rates the organization has seen. He also said the problem on the streets with mental health is worse than ever.

In addition to more people ending up homeless and without medication for their illnesses, Thompson said the county lacks a psychiatric inpatient facility for children, so they’re transported to UCLA, far from their support systems. The county also lacks a geriatric inpatient facility, and older adults suffering form psychological disorders have to be sent to a facility in Oxnard “because Cottage once again wouldn’t admit them,” he said.

The amount of money spent transporting people, and the fact that friends and family are so far removed, is “counterproductive to the entire therapeutic process,” he said.

John Mudie, who suffers from bipolar disorder and alcoholism, said the problems that need to be addressed are nothing new. “I want to thank you because you’ve opened a lot of old wounds,” he told Thompson. “These things have been lying around for a long time.”

Mudie said he felt that many of the people who benefit from ADMHS services can be utilized as support groups. “We calm each other down, we can ban together and learn how to make our own support systems,” he said.

The commission’s next meeting will be Aug. 21.

— Noozhawk staff writer Lara Cooper can be reached at lcooper@noozhawk.com.