Evening star., 1951-09-27
Health Department
Asks Larger Staff in
S4.9 Million BUDGET

payment for private hospitals
caring for INDECENT patients are
sought in the Health Depart
ment's proposed budget for the
fiscal year 1858.
The Commissioners released de-
tails of the $4,936,5 500 budget to-
day. The outlay would be 1885,
300 more than the amount author
lied by Congress to pay Health
Department expenses during the
current fiscal year.
Under the proposal, $3.077 ,638
would be for the departments
payroll, an increase of $714.211
over the amount paid out in
salaries during fiscal 1852.
The budget asked that $847 500
be appropriated to pay eight hos
pitfalls and the Washington Home
for ncurables for indigents who
qualify for free medical care at
District expense. The amount
$247.500 more than Congress
granted last year, would allow
payment of the hospitals at the
rate Of $3.50 a day for in
patients. 1t costs the District
that amount to care for each
patient at Gallinger Municipal
Hospital, although the contract
hospitals get only SO a day.
Consolidation Planned.
A proposed consolidation of the
heart disease program and the
home care program under the
administration of the Bureau of
Chronic Diseases would necessi-
tate appointment of an assistant
director for the bureau. Health
Officer Daniel L. Seckinger said.
Another physician and several
technicians and clerks also will
be. needed.
DR.. Seckinger said more help is
needed particularly in the bureaus
cancer detention clinic. where
there is five-month backlog Of
persons awaiting appointments
for examinations.
A broad expansion of the Dis
trict's mental hygiene program
was asked. particularly since "the
persistent lag of Community Chest
drives" has thrown almost the
whole burden of clinical psychi-
atric care on the Health Depart
ment.
DR.. Seckinger, in asking that
the Mental Hygiene Bureaus
budget be increased from $66,375
to s123,S05. cited rising Juvenile
delinquency rate and trend Of
teen-age dope addiction.
Cites Psychiatric Need.
The health officer estimated
there are $4,000 persons in the
District in need of psychiatric
help and pointed out. there are
only 1000 now being treated.
To care for these patients, the
health officer asked for an as
sistant director of the Mental Hy-
giene Bureau, another psychiatrist,
psychologist and several thera-
piSts.
A District tuberculosis death
rate twice that of the country as
whole was cited in asking the
tuberculosis Bureaus budget
raised from $144,930 to $215,915.
Among other positions requested
Is that of an assistant medical di-
rector of the bureau.
DR.. Seckinger also asked for 30
more public health nurses, 20 of
whom would work with school,
age children. The District now
has 142 public health nurses, but
the Health Department official
said 800 are needed.
The health officer said "it seems
only fair'sto pay the private hos
pitals as much as it costs the
District to maintain each patient
at Gallinger. He pointed out that
in fiscal 1851, the contract hos
pitals paid out $45,871 more for
INDECENT care than they received
from the District.
Under the proposed plan, the
hospitals would receive $3.50 in
stead of So for each out-clinic
visit.
Attempt Failed Last Year.
A similar attempt last year to
get more funds for the private
hospitals failed, The Commis-
sioners, in an economy move. even
eliminated Garfield, Providence
and Episcopal Hospitals from
sharing in the INDECENT care pro-
gram when they reviewed the
budget for fiscal 1852. After pro-
tests by the Washington Hospital
Council and DR.. Seckinger, how
ever, the three hospitals were re-
stored to the program.
The private hospitals have been
highly critical of past budget re-
ductions, which cut down the
number of patients for which the
hospitals can be paid. They charge
that policy Of sending more and
more INDECENT patients to Gal
linger will result in the non-Gov-
ernment hospitals losing the num-
ber of non-paying patients they
need to attract internes and resi-
= dent physicians
When Emergency Hospital closed
It's nursing school early this
month, officials cited fear of a
dwindling number of INDECENT pa
tients as one of the reasons.
More Pay to Freedmen'S.
The budget also contains re-
quest for $343. 900 to pay Freed
mems Hospital for INDECENT col.
ored patients cared for there. The
appropriation, $43 900 higher than
the amount authorized last year,
would allow the Health Depart
ment to pay Freedmen's at the
$3.50 per-day per-patient rate.
The hospital is also receiving the
$9-a-day payment.
An appropriation of 5000 900 was
asked to buy land for a new
Northwest Central Health Center
in the vicinity of Seventh street
ond phOIo leland o1,ao,1a NJ Wy