CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The beds in the county's psychiatric ward at Carolinas Medical Center-Randolph have been at capacity for a year and a half.
There were more than 1,200 visits to CMC-Randolph's emergency room in February alone.
One of those who came for help just last month, according to the Charlotte Observer, was Ken Chapman. Then, last week, police discovered Chapman killed his wife, two children and then himself.
The mental health director of the hospital said she could not talk about Chapman or any other patient.
"There are very strict confidentiality laws that prohibit us from ever acknowledging that someone has gotten mental health treatment," said Grayce Crockett.
The Observer says medical records from March 16 indicate Chapman did visit the emergency room and was asked on a form why he had come in that day. "Harm someone," the Observer says Chapman wrote.
The Observer says Chapman was later given medication for depression and anxiety and left. Later that day is when police believe he killed members of his family.
Speaking only in general terms, Crockett said sometimes people who come in for help change their mind about needing that help.
"The emergency room physician has to make their best judgment at the time, based on what the individual is telling them," Crockett said.
Jennifer Roberts, chairwoman of the Mecklenburg County Commission, said the county is providing better psychiatric help than many other counties, even though the budget has suffered a $5 million cut from the state in the current fiscal year.
"In the coming fiscal year, we really want to tell the state please don't take any more away," Roberts said.
