Crozer Health will keep mental and behavioral health services open at least through the summer in Delco
The hospital system in Delaware County previously announced that most mental and behavioral health services would shut down in June.
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Crozer Health has agreed in court to keep its behavioral and mental health services open through August, reversing a previous announcement that most units and clinics providing psychiatric and addiction treatment would shut down in June.
Crozer’s system of four hospitals in Delaware County had announced in April that most of its mental health and behavioral services — including a crisis center, outpatient psychiatry, and addiction treatment — would shut down, stoking concerns by patients, officials, and Crozer staff over the loss of scarce services at a time of great need.
On May 18, Delaware County filed a petition in court for a preliminary injunction in an effort to push Crozer to maintain the services, alleging that a closure would violate a recently passed county ordinance that required a transition plan at least 120 days before a hospital shuts down services of “significant impact.”
» READ MORE: Crozer Health is planning on shutting down mental health services. Delco patients are scrambling.
On the same day, Crozer Health CEO Kevin Spiegel announced to behavioral health staff that the health system will keep the services open. At the time, Spiegel told The Inquirer that the decision to remain open aimed to recognize the importance of the services to the community and show good faith while Crozer discusses funding with the county.
On May 24, the health system agreed in court to voluntarily maintain its behavioral and mental health services through at least Aug. 31. The parties will meet in court toward the end of August.
Crozer has been eliminating services since its for-profit owner, Prospect Medical Holdings Inc., decided to sell the Delaware County hospitals.
Prospect has been in talks with ChristianaCare, a large nonprofit health-care system based in Delaware, about the potential sale of Crozer since February.
» READ MORE: Delaware’s biggest health system moves into Pa. to buy Crozer Health
“We are relieved to hear that Prospect Crozer has listened to our concerns about the devastating impact that the sudden loss of mental health services would have on our community and they have agreed to the county’s proposal to maintain these services while we continue to negotiate,” said Delaware County Council Chair Monica Taylor in a written statement. In addition to the negotiations with Crozer, the county has been reviewing and approving contracts with other mental and behavioral providers to expand services.
State Rep. Mike Zabel, a Democrat from Delaware County who joined Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals’ rallies against the closures, is proposing a bill that would impose a moratorium on the sale of hospitals to for-profit entities. He said that he believes it was the petition the county filed in court, not goodwill from Prospect, that led to the services remaining open for now.
“It’s a positive thing to pause closures,” Zabel said, noting that the county is now seeking to reduce its reliance on one provider. “This is a chance for Delaware County, particularly in behavioral health, to revisit how these services are being provided from the ground up.”