About East Bay
The East Bay Section of the Hospital Council is comprised of 35 hospitals, representing 5,829 licensed beds in Alameda, Contra Costa, and Solano counties.
Alameda County Considers Specialty Care Diversion Policy
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ALCO EMS is considering a new specialty care diversion policy modeled on existing policies in Los Angeles and San Francisco. Under such a policy, ALCO EMS could suspend a hospital’s ST-elevation myocardial infarction or stroke designation when the hospital is experiencing prolonged ambulance patient offload times (APOTs).
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.
East Bay Hospitals Focus on Relationship Building in Support of 2025 Priorities
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Following the November 2024 election, the East Bay section’s priorities are to build relationships with newly elected officials throughout the section, as well as continue to educate and connect with our long-standing legislators and county supervisors on the critical issues facing hospitals. All three East Bay counties have new county health department leaders, so it is imperative to establish relationships with this important group.
Berkeley Voters Defeat Measure GG: Large Buildings Fossil Fuel Emissions Tax
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In last week’s election, Measure GG was defeated. In an effort to reach this outcome, Hospital Council, on behalf of members with health care facilities in the city of Berkeley, provided a statement to the Berkeley Chamber of Commerce and the No on Measure GG campaign expressing significant concerns with the Large Building Fossil Fuel Emissions Tax on the November ballot. The result was 68% of constituents voting against the measure.