Cottonwood receives accreditation

~ Just a few years ago, the center came close to losing its state funding.

Three years ago, administrator Martha Cassel's supervisor came to her with the devastating news -- a state fiscal crisis was going to force the closure of Cottonwood Children's Residential Treatment Center within the next six months.

The 32 children with mental health issues and related behavioral problems would be shipped off to an adult psychiatric facility in Farmington, Mo., and the 85 staff members would lose their jobs.

"It was shocking," said Cassel, who is administrator of the Cape Girardeau facility. "We told staff the same day. We were in disbelief."

Which made Friday's celebration all the more remarkable. Parents, children and area lawmakers gathered on the facility's grounds to celebrate that a still-operational Cottonwood recently became accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations.

"It's tremendous," Cassel said. "We are so grateful for the parents who came forth and the legislators who came forward at the time and said, 'We need Cottonwood in Southeast Missouri.' There was just so much effort."

After public outcry from parents, health-care workers and lawmakers -- most notably Jason Crowell and Peter Kinder -- the legislature agreed to put funding for Cottonwood back into the appropriations bill for the Department of Mental Health in 2004.

The center, which never closed, went through the process of receiving federal reimbursements through Medicaid, which has allowed the state to shift costs to the federal government.

Then, recently, came word that Cottonwood had received accreditation from the Joint Commission, which evaluates a health-care organization's performance in areas that most affect patient health and safety. By achieving accreditation, such facilities make a commitment to follow Joint Commission standards.

Cassel said Cottonwood applied for a survey, which later was conducted by a team of surveyors that:

* Conducted an opening conference.

* Talked to staff and patients and observed care being provided.

* Focused on certain areas of care such as, for example, infection control or medication use.

* Provided educational services to improve compliance with the standards.

* Provided feedback on areas for improvement.

"This is the gold standard," Cassel said. "And it shows we are meeting a high standard of care. I think we were always meeting that standard, but having them come in and give us this accreditation, it's extremely exciting."

smoyers@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 137