The dire need for more funding for mental health care in Alabama has once again become a topic of conversation in Mobile. The issue was discussed Tuesday during the city council's regular meeting after a parent raised concerns.
Angel Grimes claims her child had to stop another child from committing suicide at BayPointe Hospital.
"Over the last two years, my son has been housed at AltaPointe twice due to anger, outbursts and suicidal actions," Grimes said. "While at BayPointe, he had to seek out a worker to intervene and physically stop another child from choking himself with his jacket. My suicidal son had to stop someone else from killing himself. Let that sink in."
She said she does not feel children are protected and supervised enough and wants more options for minors with mental health issues. Her son has been diagnosed with anxiety, depression, oppositional defiance, ADD and intermittent explosive disorder.
Grimes said that, as educators, she and her husband are concerned about how what she calls "inadequate mental health care options" affects the education system. After doing all they could to get their son to school, even resorting to calling the police, they were unable to do so multiple times and received subpoenas this week to appear in court.
"As educators, we know the importance of attendance on the academic success of a child," Grimes said.
She added, "As teachers and educators, during the school day, there's only so much that can be done."
April Douglas with AltaPointe, which owns and operates BayPointe, told 1819 News that BayPointe is committed to transparency and accountability.
"BayPointe Hospital is a secure children's psychiatric facility with controlled access, continuous supervision, specialized staff training, strict protocol adherence, and oversight by numerous governing bodies," Douglas said.
"Our commitment to transparency and accountability remains unwavering," she continued. "While we respect patient confidentiality and cannot comment on specific cases, we encourage the former patient or their family to reach out to us directly. This will allow us to promptly and appropriately address any concerns they may have, ensuring a transparent and accountable process."
Douglas said AltaPointe has 40,000 patients and continuously updates policies and procedures with the Alabama Department of Mental Health and the Department of Public Health to protect patients.
There have been allegations by former workers at BayPointe that the facility is understaffed, and a $7 million verdict was reached in a lawsuit over a patient who was raped by another patient in 2019.
Former Councilman Scott Jones resigned last year due to the city's continued support of AltaPointe.
Councilman Joel Daves responded by telling Grimes the city has no control over public health, including mental health.
Daves said while it is clear that the state is not providing sufficient resources for mental health care, the city council does not have the ability to impact mental health.
Councilman Cory Penn said while the council doesn't have authority over mental health, it does have influence.
"So, with that influence, I'm willing to support writing letters to the people who do have the authority," said Penn. "And so, what I recommend is finding out what are the needs."
As a former educator, Penn believes it would be beneficial to create initiatives and develop a plan for the future.
AltaPointe serves as the 310 Mental Health Board for the region. The Alabama Department of Mental Health designates the board for each region, and the council makes an appointment to the board. Each year, the city of Mobile approves around $600,000 in funding for AltaPointe.
AltaPointe also has a region in east Alabama, which includes Clay and Randolph Counties.
"It's not our job to tell AltaPointe how to do their job," Daves added. "It's not our job to tell the 310 board how to do their job. They know a lot more about managing mental healthcare than we do. What it boils down to is there is insufficient resources being provided for mental health in the state of Alabama. That's what the whole thing boils down to."
Council president C.J. Small suggested a community meeting for public safety and asked Grimes to submit any questions to the council.
"We welcome the meeting suggested by Mobile City Council President CJ Small to continue working collaboratively to increase the community's access to the mental health services it needs to thrive," Douglas told 1819 News.
There is no word on when the meeting will take place.
AltaPointe was established in Mobile in 1957 and now operates two psychiatric hospitals, residential group homes, foster homes, independent living homes, and various outpatient facilities that provide mental health, substance use, developmental disabilities, and primary care services.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email erica.thomas@1819news.com.
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