Something seems potentially duplicitous about Chief Wray’s letter that came out at 3:30 on the same day this memo came out from Lynn Green, perhaps they just crossed in the mail, but the timing is a little goofy. Don’t these people talk to each other? Or is the relationship that bad that we can expect to have dueling memos into the future.
January 19, 2012
To: Dane County Police Chiefs’ Association
Re: Update on Detox Services in 2012
I want to update you on the changes we have implemented at Dane County’s Detoxification Facility. In December, I wrote you to tell you the contract between Dane County and Tellurian had changed substantially in 2012. In short, Dane County is contracting for ten beds to be used for voluntary patients only and that persons in protective custody would not be able to be admitted to these beds. The purpose of this change was to assist the people in those beds through the physical withdrawals from alcohol and other drugs in a safe setting so that they are better prepared for treatment.
Through the first couple of weeks of the new year, our model change has gone very well. We have admitted enough voluntary patients to have completely eliminated the waiting list for Dane County-funded residential alcohol and drug treatment. When we began, this waiting list had 45 names on it. However, as we have instituted this change we have not consistently filled all of the detox beds. This was unexpected since the demand for detoxification and residential treatment has appeared to be so high.
Since we have not had the demand that we had anticipated, the department decided early this afternoon that effective immediately Dane County will make its paid for, but unused beds available for persons in protective custody due to incapacitation by alcohol. This could provide anywhere from two to five beds to be available for this purpose between Sunday at 11:00 p.m. and Thursday at 11:00 p.m. As we previously notified you, Tellurian is making available up to 19 beds for persons in protective custody Thursday at 11:00 pm to Sunday at 11:00 pm; there may also be some Dane County funded beds available during this time period. This availability will be based on the number of beds not already reserved and used for pre-treatment purposes on a given night. The department will review this practice three months from now. Law enforcement personnel wishing to admit a person to detox should contact the facility directly for availability of beds.
Sincerely,
Lynn Green, Director
Dane County Department of Human Services
Green talks about a meeting early this afternoon, the Chief’s memo – the pdf – was created at 3:20 that afternoon, presumably after the meeting – but I don’t know if they were at the meeting or not.
Anyways, problem potentially solved, carry on.
