DATE:
January 28, 2025
03
TO:
Board of Supervisors
SUBJECT
Title
AUTHORIZE A SINGLE SOURCE CONTRACT WITH SHARP HEALTHCARE FOR HOSPITAL-BASED CRISIS STABILIZATION SERVICES WITHIN SHARP CHULA VISTA MEDICAL CENTER (DISTRICTS: ALL)
Body
OVERVIEW
Under the leadership of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors (Board), the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency, Behavioral Health Services (BHS) has made key investments over the last several years to enhance community-based behavioral health services including the establishment of several crisis stabilization units (CSUs). CSUs provide immediate mental health support and treatment services in a therapeutic setting to people with serious behavioral health needs who require urgent care beyond what an outpatient clinical service can provide. Services typically last less than 24 hours and include crisis intervention, ongoing assessment and stabilization, medication administration, consultation with family and outpatient providers, and linkage and/or referral to follow-up community-based services and resources.
In January 2024, Sharp HealthCare (Sharp) received one-time grant funding to support the design and development of a new Emergency Psychiatric Assessment, Treatment, and Healing (EmPATH) CSU within the Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center. Similar to a traditional CSU, an EmPATH CSU offers care for people experiencing a psychiatric crisis through crisis stabilization services. The EmPATH model differs as it is co-located in an emergency department (ED), thus enabling people with behavioral health needs to transition smoothly to a CSU without being discharged. Sharp will establish approximately six EmPATH CSU recliners adjacent to the ED that are anticipated to provide care for a large proportion of people with serious behavioral health conditions who are eligible for Medi-Cal. As the specialty mental health plan for people with serious mental illness, the County can receive Medi-Cal reimburs...
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