About Behavioral Health
An estimated 7.5 million people in California experience a mental health disorder in any given year, but only one-third of adults who experience mental illness are getting treatment. The caregivers at hospitals know the obstacles people with behavioral health conditions face and the challenges in getting them the treatment they need.
While hospitals embrace the essential role they play in addressing this crisis, more needs to be done. Investments are needed to tackle a crisis made even worse by COVID-19. California must prioritize behavioral health investments in prevention, early assessment, identification of needs, and aggressive treatment for all, regardless of health coverage or ZIP code.
In addition, solutions like payment reform, resource allocation, more outpatient and community-based services, a bolstered behavioral health workforce, and a statewide set of standardized core services will help Californians with behavioral health conditions access the care they deserve.
This point-in-time analysis was conducted in 2017-2018 to gain a deeper understanding of the behavioral health challenges faced by San Diego patients. Issues examined included pre-acute, acute, and post-acute services and the impact of social determinants of health on access and outcomes. Ultimately, the findings are intended to support further research efforts and to promote collaboration between San Diego County Behavioral Health Services and other community organizations providing behavioral health services in San Diego.
5 Things To Know: Human Trafficking, Assisted Living Waiver Renewal,Cybersecurity Symposium, Nurse Staffing Ratios, Check Your Mood
HUMAN TRAFFICKING: County of San Diego emergency medical services medical director is sharing a recent talk from Deputy District Attorney Flavio Nominati titled “Effects of COVID and Title 42 on the Management of Human Trafficking.” Additional lectures from the county’s monthly Evidence-Based Medicine lecture series are available online. Please forward to others who may have […]
5 Things To Know: Homelessness Solutions, San Diego Restructuring, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, Sahma’s Strategic Plan, Fake Pharmacy Callers
HOMELESSNESS SOLUTIONS AND PREVENTION ACTION PLAN: The County of San Diego is seeking public input by Sept. 15 on the draft Homelessness Solutions and Prevention Action Plan, which is intended to advance the county’s efforts to prevent and end homelessness. The draft Action Plan outlines the county’s strategies to impact homelessness regionally. Relevant feedback on […]
5 Things To Know: Medi-Cal Redeterminations, Covid-19 Precautions, National Recovery Month, Timely Claims Payments, HCAI Seismic Webinars
MEDI-CAL REDETERMINATIONS: The Department of Health Care Services has published a new interactive dashboard detailing statewide and county-level demographic data on Medi-Cal application processing, enrollments, redeterminations, and renewal outcomes. Preliminary data on the Medi-Cal redeterminations show that in San Diego County, 16,336 Medi-Cal beneficiaries were disenrolled effective June 30. In Imperial County, 1,482 beneficiaries were […]
5 Things To Know: Transitions Of Care Sub Workgroup, Feedback Sought, Behavioral Health Scholarships, Cybersecurity, Webinar
TRANSITIONS OF CARE SUB WORKGROUP: The county of San Diego, along with the Legal Aid Society of San Diego and HASD&IC, helped establish a sub workgroup of the Healthy San Diego Dual Eligible/Long Term Services & Supports (LTSS) Workgroup — the Transitions of Care Sub Workgroup. The Sub Workgroup will focus on pressing matters caused by the gaps and challenges in keeping older/disabled adults receiving Medi-Cal connected to quality care and LTSS. The focus is on access to LTSS for older adults and the regional work around the dually eligible beneficiaries, and transitions of care, whether moving from the community or back into the community, and care coordination by the payer, including the providers and caregivers. If you or someone from your organization is interested in joining, please contact Caryn Sumek at csumek@hasdic.org.
5 Things To Know: San Diego County Budget, State Budget May Revision, Mental Health Awareness Month, Mark Your Calendars, New Substance Use Disorder Resources
SAN DIEGO COUNTY BUDGET: The county has released its 2023-24 budget, which addresses a number of issues — homelessness, building healthy and safe communities, investing in working families, mental health and substance use disorders, sustainability, and justice reform. There is an opportunity for the community to comment and provide input before the board deliberates and adopts a budget at the end of June. Community meetings are being held this week, and next month, public hearings will take place.
5 Things To Know: Public Safety Power Shutoffs, Medi-Cal Rx, Minority Fellowship Program, Patient Safety Evaluation Summit, Behavioral Health System
PUBLIC SAFETY POWER SHUTOFFS: San Diego Gas & Electric (SDGE) is conducting two public safety power shutoff (PSPS) exercises and welcomes the attendance and participation of external stakeholders:
PSPS Tabletop Exercise: April 11, 8 a.m.-noon
PSPS Full-Scale Exercise: May 1-2
If you are interested in participating, please complete the Extent of Play Agreement and email a PDF copy to EMTrainingExercise@sdge.com. If you are interested in scheduling a tour for your organization, please reach out to EmergencyServices_SDGE@sdge.com
5 Things To Know: Overdose to Action Grant, Behavioral Health Workforce Development, Patient Safety Webinars, Medi-Cal RX Update, Equity Working Group Webinar
OVERDOSE TO ACTION GRANT: San Diego County is a recipient of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Overdose Data to Action (OD2A) grant, which focuses on overdose surveillance and prevention. Along with community-focused overdose prevention activities, a key strategy of OD2A is supporting San Diego licensed prescribers (i.e., physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and pharmacists). The county’s OD2A team has also developed an OD2A quarterly newsletter specifically for licensed prescribers. Since 2016, opioid-related drug deaths in the San Diego region have been on the increase. Overdose deaths attributed to fentanyl almost tripled from 2019 to 2020 and accounted for 77% of opioid-related deaths in 2020, compared to 45% in 2019. The highest rate of opioid overdose deaths, in 2020, was in the Central region, followed by the East and North Coastal regions. These data are used by the county to guide overdose prevention activities.
Specialty Help for Pediatric ED Patients with Autism
At Rady Children’s Hospital, behavioral health specialists provide proactive behavior support throughout each step of the visit to help patients, their families and health care staff work together for a successful emergency department experience.
5 Things To Know: COVID-19 in Nursing Homes, CHA Alert, Behavioral Health Initiative Grant Funding, Expiration of Temporary Waivers, Waivers for Justice-Involved Individuals
COVID-19 IN NURSING HOMES: People living in nursing homes continue to be disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.
If hospitals have questions or want to discuss strategies, please contact Lindsey C. Yourman, MD, chief geriatric officer, San Diego County Health & Human Services Agency, at LindseyC.Yourman@sdcounty.ca.gov.
5 Things To Know: Office of Health Care Affordability, Medi-Cal Budget Request, Veterans in Suicidal Crisis, Empath Unit Deadline Extended, Behavioral Health Playbook
OFFICE OF HEALTH CARE AFFORDABILITY: The California Hospital Association (CHA) has developed a web page for the new Office of Health Care Affordability. The web page contains background information on the office’s main responsibilities and implementation timelines. It will be updated as new information becomes available. Contact Ben Johnson at bjohnson@calhospital.org with any questions.