Questions arise over center in Sykesville
Krebs, Kittleman eye Rosewood transfers
By Charles Schelle
cschelle@patuxent.comPosted 7/23/08
State Sen. Allan Kittleman (R-9) and Del. Susan Krebs (R-9B) are raising questions about plans for a court-ordered center in Sykesville for residents who have developmental disabilities.
Kittleman and Krebs wrote a letter to Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) questioning how secure the Sykesville Secure Evaluation and Therapeutic Program will be -- and why Sykesville was chosen.
"I'm concerned that this ground is being moved prematurely," Krebs said.
In addition, Kittleman on Monday called for a hearing on how security is implemented at sites such as the Sykesville center (see box, at right)
The program, to be located in the Muncie Building on the grounds of Springfield Hospital Center, will house people who are accused of various crimes, but are deemed incompetent to stand trial until evaluations are completed. The residents are sometimes called forensic residents.
The center is scheduled to open in October.
Krebs and Kittleman are questioning security, citing a report of a man who escaped from a similar program at the Rosewood Center in Owings Mills twice in five years. The man faced murder, attempted murder and carjacking charges in 2000, but was found incompetent to stand trial.
"The other patients who may be treated (on the grounds of Springfield) may not have the history of violent crime, and I think that's what's different from this," Kittleman said. "When you hear the story of someone who escapes and has killed someone, you don't ignore it."
But Kittleman and Krebs said they do not understand how plans changed from 2004, when no mention of Sykesville was made.
A January 2004 Health and Mental Hygiene report included an interim plan to close Rosewood and build a 54-bed center at Clifton T. Perkins Hospital in Jessup to house the Rosewood forensic residents.
In January of this year, the governor announced the Rosewood Center would close June 20, 2009, and a maximum of 22 residents would be housed in Sykesville -- 11 from Rosewood.
The decision to house the program in Sykesville was made this spring, said Arlene Stephenson, deputy secretary for Public Health Services in an e-mail.
The Sykesville location is considered temporary, Stephenson said, and the department is looking to build a larger facility in the future, though he did not specify when.
The Muncie Building "had the best space for programming for the residents, and was able to support other needs for the program such as dietary, laundry, etc," Stephenson said. "It is our best option at this time."
Krebs said she was first told in April that a Sykesville program was in planning stages and that she would be contacted when plans progressed, but that never happened.
She said she found out that the program will be in Sykesville through accounts in The Eldersburg Eagle and The Sun.
"The lack of communication has been problematic," she said.
Additionally, Springfield's staff had to reshuffle and locate to another building, Krebs said. "It creates a domino effect."
Not alarmist
Springfield Hospital, the drug treatment centers and the Central Laundry Facility minimum security jail have been good neighbors, Krebs said, but her gut instinct tells her the new program doesn't mesh with the rest of the campus, especially the Warfield Commerce and Cultural Center.
"This isn't compatible or not well thought out, or else it would have been part of the recommendation when they made the recommendation," she said.
Shaun Adamec, deputy press secretary to O'Malley, said Monday in an e-mail that "The governor is aware of the concerns of the delegation, and the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene is working with the members of the delegation to address those concerns."
Regardless of where the patients will be housed, they need taken care of, Kittleman said.
"We have a population that we have to deal with," he said. "We can't pretend they're not there."
Krebs said she is concerned that the Rosewood patients are being shuffled around, since she's not sure if the Sykesville program is permanent or temporary.
She said she's not trying to be an alarmist to scare businesses away, but the communication about the program and security measures needs to be addressed.
The Muncie Building will be locked and will have a fenced courtyard, Stephenson said. Other features include secure doors, windows that cannot be broken out, security cameras, guards and a risk assessment of each resident, she said.
The center will employ 65 people and renovations are estimated at $250,000. The operating budget was estimated in February at $5 million, but is likely to change, according to John Hammond, spokesman for the department.
Kittleman and Krebs are scheduled to meet with Department of Mental Health and Hygiene officials in early August to learn more about the center.
Said Kittleman, "It's important that we understand what their plans are for the future and that they are going to ensure the residents of Sykesville and the residents of Eldersburg that this will be safe."