Providence Gifts Crucial Dollars to Behavioral Health Triage Project in Arcata
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Hospital and health care leaders recently gathered to celebrate a landmark $2 million donation from Providence St. Joseph Hospital in Eureka to support the development of a new behavioral health triage center on the Mad River Community Hospital campus in Arcata.
Solano County Establishes SB 43 Implementation Workgroup
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Senate Bill (SB) 43, which was signed into law in 2023, expands the definition of “gravely disabled” for the involuntary detention, treatment, or conservatorship of individuals with behavioral health conditions to include those living with severe substance use disorders. Solano County will implement the new law on Jan. 1, 2026, and has established an SB 43 workgroup that is meeting bimonthly. Solano County hospitals and Hospital Council participate in this meeting along with other stakeholders.
San Francisco to Open New Police-Friendly Stabilization Center
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In April, San Francisco will open a 24/7 police-friendly stabilization center at 822 Geary Street, where police officers can drop off people with urgent mental health and substance abuse needs so they can receive medical care. The goal is to keep people out of jails and emergency departments (EDs) and the city’s limited law enforcement resources on the street. With powers granted by the recently passed Fentanyl State of Emergency Ordinance, the city is able to expedite the center’s opening.
SB 43 Work Progresses in San Mateo, Santa Clara Counties
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Santa Clara County (SCC) has kicked off a workgroup to implement Senate Bill (SB) 43 (2023), which expands the definition of “gravely disabled” to include individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs). In late March, the county behavioral health department will update the SCC Board of Supervisors on its plans for this effort.
Sonoma County Crisis Stabilization Unit Reopens
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After being closed for six months, Sonoma County’s crisis stabilization unit (CSU) reopened for patient care on Feb. 8.
Eureka Police Department Leads the Way in Decriminalizing Mental Illness
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Through innovative de-escalation techniques and structural changes in its approach to crisis intervention, the Eureka Police Department (EPD) is transforming how law enforcement handles mental illness and substance abuse crises, effectively reducing 5150 (involuntary psychiatric) holds by 68% since 2018 and diverting nearly 93% of crisis calls in 2024 from hospitalization or incarceration.
San Francisco Eyes Potential Expansion of Behavioral Health Beds
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The San Francisco Board of Supervisors is set to approve a resolution authorizing the San Francisco Department of Public Health to submit applications for grant funds to the state’s Department of Health Care Services under the Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program Round 1: Launch Ready.
CEOs and Other Hospital Leaders in Redwood Coast Meet
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On Nov. 6, the Redwood Coast section convened to discuss several key topics:
Sacramento County Adopts Jan. 1, 2025, as SB 43 Implementation Date
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When Senate Bill (SB) 43 was signed on Oct. 10, 2023, the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors, along with all but two counties in the state, chose to postpone the Jan. 1, 2024, implementation date — this way, the counties could assess their overall readiness from a behavioral health standpoint to accommodate expanding the definition of “gravely disabled” for purposes of placing a person on an involuntary psychiatric hold or a conservatorship.
Behavioral Health Drives Meetings, Prompts Innovations in Northern Sierra
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Hospital Council has hosted many meetings with various hospitals, counties, and health plans — all of which are searching for ways to address the challenges they face in trying to help those who need behavioral health services.