Death played no role in reducing the resident population during this period. The death rate in the 18 months following July 1941 was the lowest since 1924 in the Illinois state hospitals. COMMENT AND CONCLUSION The rising tide of resident population in the Illinois state hospitals has been stopped, probably both by the specific efforts directed to that end and by favorable factors in the community. However, this paper raises more questions than it answers and must therefore be considered a preliminary report. The fears that a liberal policy of releasing mental patients would result in an unfortunate increase of anti-social behavior by or exploitation of released patients have not yet been justified. When large numbers of working mental patients are released from the institution the occupational and recreational therapy programs and other elements in the total push program of necessity must be accelerated to recruit from among idle patients new working patients to replace those working patients who have gone home. Hence, a liberal policy of release forces the mental hospital to enlarge its total therapeutic program. Several techniques used in this program have been listed and described briefly. However, the exact effectiveness of these techniques and the precise role played by each in reducing institutional population are yet to be studied and reported upon. For example, follow-up studies must be carried on for several years to determine the effectiveness of the co-operative working relationship with the Alcoholics Anonymous group before more definite conclusions can be reached as to the value of that particular technique. The same may be said as regards the Recovery Association, the preventive treatment of patients with positive spinal fluid findings, the use of family care techniques, pre-commitment services, and such accepted techniques as shock therapy. A qualitative study of the kind of persons being admitted to our state hospitals at this time will reveal a large proportion of aged and infirm patients. Careful study needs to be given to this particular group to secure the proper proportion of community and institutional care for them. Additional time and study will also reveal whether the Illinois mental hospitals released patients who were the "cream of the crop" and to what extent the addition of more personnel engaged in the release of patients and their supervision will encounter the law of diminishing returns. We feel that it is the part of wisdom to avoid extreme swings of the pendulum in either institutionalization or community care for the mentally ill, that both fiscal and human values need to be considered and brought into balance in planning a mental hospital program. Continued careful evaluation of those social, economic and medical factors of the type emphasized by Dayton and critical statistical scrutiny of all the techniques employed in a program designed to prevent unnecessary institutional expansion are needed in wisely charting the future program. ITEM 3. LETTER FROM ALAN J. METZ, ATTORNEY, JENNER & BLOCK, CHICAGO, ILL.; EXHIBITS FOR MR. DANIEL SLADER, ADMINISTRATOR, MELBOURNE NURSING HOME, CHICAGO, ILL. JENNER & BLOCK, Chicago, Ill., June 11, 1971. DEAR MR. HALAMANDARIS: Pursuant to the request of the Senate Special Committee on Aging which held hearings in Chicago on April 3, 1971, I tender the enclosed documents and affidavits. Exhibit A is a letter from Arthur J. Wolski indicating the amounts billed for dental services in 1970. Mr. Slader has informed me that Dr. Wolski has no records pertaining to prior years. With respect to the procedure for certifying dental bills, Mr. Slader informs me that he is required to certify only those bills pertaining to Mental Health patients, and that all bills certified are first submitted and approved by Miss Brock, who is an employee of the Illinois Department of Mental Health. Exhibit B is a statement from Mr. Marvin Fox, accountant for the Melbourne Corporation, stating the food cost figures for the latest fiscal year. Exhibit C is a copy of page 2 of the 1970 partnership tax return indicating the requested figures on depreciation. Exhibit D is Mr. Slader's affidavit with respect to principal and interest payments on the property. With respect to the overall equity investment in the nursing home, Exhibit C indicates an investment of $413,071.06. To this amount, Mr. Slader believes, should be added losses which occurred between 1961 and 1963 in the amount of $145,549.97 [documents substantiating this figure were previously produced] making a total investment of $558,621.03. Mr. Slader informs me that no other documents with respect to this particular area are available. Exhibits E, F, and G explain the true proportions of the "water incident" exploited by Pamela Zekman in her article appearing March 1, 1971 in the Chicago Tribune. Sincerely, Exhibit A ALAN L. METZ. CHICAGO, ILL, April 12, 1971. JENNER & BLOCK, Chicago, Ill. DEAR SIR: As per request of hearing of Melbourne Nursing Home, I am submitting records of 1970 for dental services performed on patients residing at the above home. Public aid receipts amounted to $128.00 and Mental Health receipts amounted to $608.00. There were many services that I performed and no fees or statements were submitted to either agency. Yours very truly, ARTHUR J. WOLSKI, DDS. Exhibit B FROST, RUTTENBERG AND ROTHBLATT, Re: Melbourne Corporation Costs for the full year 11/1/69 to 10/31/70. Chicago, Ill. DEAR AL: For the fiscal year ended Oct. 31, 1970 Melbourne Corporation's total raw food costs as indicated by their books and records are $45,321.63. The total patient days as indicated by their books and records are 67,702. This would equate to raw food cost per patient day of $0.67. If you should need any additional information please contact me. MARVIN Fox. Exhibit C Schedule I-DEPRECIATION (See Instruction 20) Taxpayers using Revenue Procedures 62-21 and 65-13: Make no entry in column 2, enter the cost or other basis of assets held at end of year in column 3, and enter the accumulated depreciation at end of year in column 4. Note: You may (1) group depreciable assets in accordance with the categories specified below or (2) continue to list your assets in the same manner as in prior years. If you need more space, use Form 4562. 1. Group and guideline class or description of property 2. Date acquired 3. Cost or 4. Depreciation allowed or allowable in prior years 5. Method of 1 Total additional first-year depreciation (do not include in items below). (Enter here and allocate to each 6. Life or 7. Depreciation for Schedule J-EXPLANATION OF LINES 16, 17, AND 24 ON PAGE 1, AND OF COLUMNS 4 AND 5 OF SCHEDULE B STATE OF ILLINOIS County of Cook, 88: Exhibit D AFFIDAVIT Daniel A. Slader being duly sworn on oath deposes and says: 1. The mortgage on the property at 4621-29 North Racine Avenue, Chicago, Illinois is in the amount of $375,000. There is presently due and owing on that mortgage an amount of $195,076.59 as of June 4, 1971. To date, the amount of $179,923.41 has been paid on principal. 2. Interest payments on the above described property have been made over the years in the below described amounts: Subscribed and sworn to before me this 11th day of June, 1971. ROSEANN FARINA, Notary Public. |