Who
- Alameda County Behavioral Health Care Services
- Hospital Council
What
On behalf of its hospital members in Alameda County, Hospital Council submitted a letter to the Mental Health Services Oversight & Accountability Commission in support of Alameda County Behavioral Health Care Services’ request for additional CATT funding. The CATT is a pilot program whereby a professional team comprised of a mental health clinician and emergency medical technician respond to an individual in the course of a psychiatric emergency, assess the individual, and transport them in a non-ambulance vehicle to the most appropriate service — potentially avoiding the need for an unnecessary emergency room visit.
Takeaway/Next Steps
Since launching in July 2020, CATT has responded to over 750 episodes in nine cities throughout Alameda County. Almost one-third of all CATT episodes in which a client was transported resulted in a transport to a community-based mental health provider.