New partnership to get Vt. mental health patients to Brattleboro Retreat

BRATTLEBORO, Vt. (WCAX) - The Brattleboro Retreat is breaking down a big barrier in Vermont’s mental health care system-- transportation from hospitals to the psychiatric facility.

The retreat is partnering with the ambulance service provider Rescue Inc. to launch a new, one-year pilot program.

Retreat leaders say mental health patients in Vermont’s emergency departments often wait days to be transferred. They say the sole reason is that many can’t get to Brattleboro because there are no EMS services available to drive them.

A spokesperson says under this program, Rescue Inc. can transport patients from every corner of the state, even if the ambulance only has time to make a single hourslong trip a day.

“But that’s one person who doesn’t have to wait in the ED anymore. That’s an additional bed that opens up, and it’s an opportunity for a patient to really reach the right environment for care and treatment,” said Erik Rosenbauer of the Brattleboro Retreat.

The Brattleboro Retreat says though it’s still experiencing staffing shortages, leaders anticipate within the next two months the facility’s capacity will return to pre-pandemic levels. That’s more than 100 inpatient beds out of 116 total.

The pilot program is fully funded by the Retreat and launches next month.

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