Sykesville's mayor and Town Council said Monday that if the area must take transfers from the Rosewood Center in Owings Mills to a building at Springfield Hospital, the town ought to get increased security as part of the deal.

"I want to see ... what additional state funds we can get to increase our police force," said Councilman Leo Keenan. "We're going to need additional officers to deal with these ongoing issues."

About 100 people turned out for the council's public forum Monday night at Sykesville Middle School to discuss plans for the Sykesville Secure Evaluation & Therapeutic Treatment (SETT) program.

State Department of Health and Mental Hygiene officials were on hand to discuss plans to transfer nine residents from Rosewood Center to Springfield Hospital Center's Muncie Building.

The building would host the SETT program, which will house a maximum of 22 people who have developmental disabilities and have been charged with crimes. The program will be operated by the state's Developmental Disabilities Administration.

Monday's meeting is the second in less than a week about the topic. State health officials met with the public on Wednesday, Sept. 17, where more than 40 people attended a meeting at Springfield.

Security, lack of open communication and clear planning for the facility were among the top concerns at both meetings.

At the Sept. 17 session, state health officials acknowledged they cannot fully ensure Sykesville's safety from a potentially dangerous patient, but will do the best they can.

"Can we guarantee (safety) 100 percent? I'd like to say yes, but I'm not going to say that because I don't know that we can guarantee it at 100 percent," said Michael Chapman, director of the state's Developmental Disabilities Administration.

"But we feel very, very positively that we put all the measures in place that we can possibly put in place," he said.

That issue was at the crux of Keenan's request on Monday that more police be committed to the hospital grounds. Council members Jeannie Nichols and Frank Robert echoed the request.

Council members said they consider the Sykesville Police Department as the first responder to incidents that occur at Springfield, and since the population is increasing, the state should pay for an officer to handle those calls.

The hospital has its own police force and security, but it's unarmed, said Paula Langmead, chief executive officer of Springfield.

State Health Sec. John Colmers said his department is reviewing how all of its facilities communicate with state police and notifies the community about runaways.

"That notification process to the community with the police is an area we need to do a better job at," he said.

Robert said he wants to see a meeting between all agencies who respond to Springfield, as well as the Springfield Police Department, to review security and meet on how they will communicate with each other and the hospital when there is an incident, such as a runaway.

At the Sept. 17 meeting, security was a topic in the mind of town resident Mark Dyer said.

"We have middle school that is a mile away, more like a half-mile away," he said. "When I hear that it's not going to be run like a prison, I become concerned. ... I worked for the (Department of Defense) for 30 years, and I know if you can build a box, I can break out of it."

Sykesville Police Chief John Williams Jr. also expressed concern about the program.

"I don't think anybody here is willing to pay the price for when these things do happen," he said. "I know you can't make ... guarantees to the community. As an individual in charge of public safety, those are the types of guarantees I want to hear."

'We failed in communication'

Beyond security, officials were still stinging from residents. comments about the lack of notification about the SETT program.

Colmers took responsibility for missteps of his department and apologized at both meetings for the communication lapse.

"We failed in communication," he said Monday.

Colmers last week produced a strategic plan for the transfer that the department was supposed to have presented to the General Assembly by July 1. The plan was printed last week.

The Legislature is in the process of reviewing the plan, said Del. Susan Krebs (R-9B) of Eldersburg.

The department has also set up a Web site for the Sykesville SETT program -- www.dhmh.state.md.us/dda/sykesville.htm.

The site has frequently asked questions as well as questions and responses to concerns raised by elected officials.

Gov. Martin O'Malley ordered in January to have Rosewood close by June 30, 2009. The transfer of Rosewood patients is set to begin in October.

Krebs said she wants to see if the governor is willing to adjust that date.

Francis Kirley, chief executive officer of Nexion Health located in Warfield, said he wants health officials and Krebs to tell the governor that his deadlines were a bad move.

"Tell our governor that he's made a bad decision," Kirley said.

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Know more

View the Department of Mental Health and Hygiene's Web site for more information about the Sykesville Secure Evaluation & Therapeutic Treatment program, at www.dhmh.state.md.us/dda/sykesville.htm

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