Emergency Department Boarding Stories

"As relates boarding group home patients, we currently have six, boarding for 1,250-3,600 hours. In all cases, we 'inappropriate/unlawful' discharges from existing group homes. In all cases, group home and guardian (ironically often DSS or LME) have already been trying to find new placement due to chronic behavioral issues (and not acute psychiatric illness).

When they are unable to find that new placement, they will either send to ED under guise of some new symptom or will involuntary commitment patient. In almost all cases, no basis for involuntary commitment, but rather chronic behavioral symptoms. After inappropriately trying to discharge or dump in ED, these group homes and guardians will then try to block return to their rightful home/group home. In many of these cases, DSS as the guardian is violating their own/state statutes that we set up to govern appropriate discharge, and subvert the associated patient's appeals process (and no where in appropriate discharge statute does it reference instead dumping patient in ED and refusing return)."