Latest news with #DCMH
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
DCMH reinstates volunteer program
GREENSBURG - Decatur County Memorial Hospital has restarted its volunteer program, according to CEO Rex McKinney, who made the announcement at the most recent DCMH board meeting. The program went on hiatus during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Initially, there were four volunteers slated to start and more are needed. 'We're pleased to kick that off again,' McKinney said of the program. Additionally, nine scholarships from DCMH were granted to local high school students. Chief Financial Officer Catharine Keck reviewed the finance report. DCMH remains consistent year-to-date with where they were in April 2024. Expenses overall were 1.1% unfavorable year-to-date. The board then reviewed the 2024 audit report; DCMH received a clean grade. There was no old business to discuss. Dennis Fogle reviewed the Planning Committee report. The committee discussed master facility planning including the south tower and options for the EMS building. The committee also touched on potential space renovations for the pharmacy. Finally, the committee discussed a presentation regarding two grants supporting OB/GYN services. The report was approved as presented. Tammy Williams discussed the Quality Management Committee report. The committee met May 21 and reviewed quality metrics with month-by-month feedback. They also discussed DCMH's partnerships with nursing homes, how those are overseen and supported and the success DCMH has in those partnerships. Williams noted that what most stood out to her from the meeting was DCMH's IT Department 'that doesn't always get a lot of publicity,' she remarked. This report was also approved as presented. There were two capital requests approved: one for an EEG machine at $41,911.76 and another for audiology equipment at $16,000. A new DCMH employee, Caitlynn Osting, was introduced. Osting will be working as a marketing assistant. She's a recent graduate of the University of Southern Indiana with a degree in business administration and a minor in marketing. 'I'm just really excited to be here,' Osting said. The next meeting of the hospital board is scheduled for 7 p.m. June 26 at DCMH.
The Citizen
29-05-2025
- Health
- The Citizen
Jona Vaughan's closure rumours denied despite hardships
AFTER rumours that the Jona Vaughan Home for the Handicapped in Amanzimtoti might be closed down and its residents transferred to other facilities, the home's parents' association said it fears another Life Esidimeni tragedy might unfold if that is allowed to happen. Also read: Grim festive season for Jona Vaughan staff The Life Esidimeni tragedy involved the deaths of 144 patients at psychiatric facilities in Gauteng from causes including starvation and neglect. The patients died after they were removed from Life Esidimeni, a private healthcare provider, in 2016, and relocated to cheaper care centres. The Jona Vaughan Home for the Handicapped is a non-profit organisation dedicated to providing care and residency to 69 handicapped persons, 40% of whom are abandoned or orphaned. The centre is administered by Durban and Coastal Mental Health (DCMH), which in turn is funded by the Department of Health and the Department of Social Development. The treasurer of the parents' association, Charmaine Lombard, said she heard from two sources that the Department of Health may consider withdrawing all funding from the end of June. 'There is no other facility like Jona Vaughan to cater for such profound disabilities. If Jona Vaughan were to close its doors, the residents would be moved to facilities outside of Durban. This would be detrimental to our residents as the Jona Vaughan Home is the only home that many of the residents know,' said Lombard. The funding that the facility receives from DCMH is never enough to cover all its day-to-day operating costs, which has led the parents' association to spearhead several fundraising initiatives. Lombard said the staff, whom many of the centre's residents regard as their parents, have not been paid in full since April. The water and electricity bill stands at R1.8 million, and the municipality has issued a notice to disconnect the supply on June 2. 'We feel that these issues are serious and critical and require a long-standing resolution, as we are the voices of the very people who deserve to be treated with care, dignity, kindness and respect. Just because the residents are mentally and physically challenged does not exclude them from the basic human rights they are entitled to,' she said. DCMH's CEO, Mbonisi Sibisi, stated that there have been no discussions regarding the closure of Jona Vaughn; however, an agreement between DCMH and DOH is set to expire in March 2026. 'DCMH has consistent meetings with DOH where we discuss the performance of the centre and other related issues. Our organisation is an NPO and largely depends on subsidies and donations. The subsidy only covers a fraction of the centre's costs,' said Sibisi. He also urged the public to keep supporting Jona Vaughan. How to help: A Back-a-buddy campaign to raise funds for Jona Vaughan Home for the Handicapped has been started. Go to to donate. The home is also hosting a work party on June 7, from 08:00, open to the public who may wish to assist. For more South Coast Sun news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. You can also check out our videos on our YouTube channel or follow us on TikTok. Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter and get news delivered straight to your inbox. Do you have more information pertaining to this story? Feel free to let us know by commenting on our Facebook page or you can contact our newsroom on 031 903 2341 and speak to a journalist. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
