Brief Overview: Mental Health Urgent Care John Boyd, Psy.D, MHA, FACHE Sutter s System Chief Mental Health Officer Email: boydj@sutterhealth.org Phone: (916) 208-0267 johnboydpsyd
Historical Context Insufficient focus on early intervention and prevention Lack of community resources for mental health care access Lack of coordination between care settings Emergency rooms became de facto location Historical focus has not been on ensuring least restrictive care settings Development of MH Urgent Care Centers emerge
Urgent Care Center Definition Provide intensive crisis services to individuals who otherwise would be brought to emergency rooms; Provide up to 23 hours of immediate care and linkage to communitybased solutions; Provide crisis intervention services, including integrated services for co-occurring substance abuse disorders; Are geographically located throughout the County; Focus on recovery and linkage to ongoing community services and supports that are designed to impact unnecessary and lengthy involuntary inpatient treatment.
Benefits of MH Urgent Care Centers A consumer-focused recovery program model Provide immediate relief to people in distress and to help them maintain stability in their lives Decreases involuntary hospitalization (patients placed on 5150) Decreases psychiatric emergency room visits, and incarceration Increase in continuity of care
Examples of Spread of Counties Los Angeles County: During fiscal year 2014-2015, the County s mental health urgent care centers handled almost 30,000 crisis visits. That includes more than 2,000 homeless persons and almost 1,000 children and young adults involved in the child welfare system. Telecare Urgent Care Center of LA: follows recovery model program, serves clients ages 18-59, Augustus F Hawkins UCC: Serves more than 2,000 clients annually including adults, children and TAY Olive View UCC: Opened 2011, serves over 5,000 clients each year Exodus Recovery: Four Urgent Care Centers in LA County serving more than 20,000 clients in LA county alone The mental health UCC serves as an important continuum of care component, providing 24/7 access to stabilization services to those in an emotional crisis and the goal is to prevent unnecessary hospitalization, stabilize people in the community and link to needed services. -LA County MH Director
Program Model Example Exodus Recovery Since 1989, Exodus has been providing quality psychiatric and chemical dependency treatment services The Exodus Recovery 23-Hour Mental Health Urgent Care Center (UCC) is a welcoming environment where individuals in crisis can be assessed for stabilization services, medication evaluation and management, or hospitalization if necessary. Depending on the needs of the client, the interdisciplinary treatment team is prepared to offer a full spectrum of psychiatric treatment services, including linkage to crisis housing, shelter beds, sober living, community based outpatient program services and inpatient treatment for mental health or substance abuse. The Urgent Care Center is LPS designated which allows staff to evaluate and involuntarily detain those individuals determined to be a danger to themselves or others or gravely disabled. These clients will receive comprehensive mental health services for up to 23 hours while enrolled at the UCC.
Examples of Spread of Counties/States Napa, CA Fresno, CA Colorado (Metro Denver/Boulder Area) Oregon (Northwest Area) St. Paul, Minnesota We designed the living room to be a place that is clearly not an emergency room. It is clearly not a doctor s waiting room, either. It s something different. -Roger Meyer, Director Mental Health Crisis Alliance, St. Paul, MN
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