Who
- Sacramento County Emergency Medical Services Agency (SCEMSA)
- Behavioral health facilities in Sacramento County
- 911/Emergency medical service providers in the SCEMSA territory
What
SCEMSA’s medical director recently reported that the California Emergency Medical Services Authority approved the agency’s application for a triage-to-alternate-destination policy.
Three facilities are now contracted to serve as receiving sites for mental health and substance use disorder patients, including those on involuntary holds per the provisions of Senate Bill 43. The facilities include one psychiatric hospital (Sierra Vista Hospital), the county mental health treatment center, and a sobering center at a federally qualified health center run by WellSpace Health.
While the new policy will provide a path to avoiding unnecessary emergency department traffic, more facilities are needed to meet the demand within the community.
Takeaway/Next Steps
This policy and receiving facilities may help relieve the pressure that drives up ambulance patient offload time — helping compliance with Assembly Bill 40 — especially as individuals with chronic substance use disorder will soon be held involuntarily.
Contact
RVP Brian Jensen at bjensen@hospitalcouncil.org