Phila, Delco stop referrals to psych hospital
Friday, May 22nd, 2009
By: Tom MacDonald
tmacdonald@whyy.org
Philadelphia and Delaware County are restricting referrals to a Philadelphia Psychiatric facility.
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In early April, a patient committed suicide at Friends Hospital on Roosevelt Boulevard in Northeast Philadelphia. Marianne Grace is Delaware County Executive Director. She says the county won't refer patients to the facility.
Grace: There were quality issues with friends and the decision was made with our office of behavioral health and also in conjunction with Magellian behavioral health which is the managed care provider for Delaware County.
Friends has been in operation as a private mental health facility since 1813. Joseph Crivelli is spokesman for Friends Hospital. He says there haven't been any other incidents in 12 years of crisis care.
Crivelli: We have treated 120 thousand patients during that time and this is our first completed suicide.
Crivelli says there is no issue with their quality of care, and declined further comment on the case.