To: Board of Supervisors
From: DHHS: Behavioral Health
Agenda Section: Consent
Vote Requirement: Majority
SUBJECT:
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Resolution Designating Eligible Professional Persons Who Can Write and Rescind a Welfare and Institutions Code Section 5150 Hold
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RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Board of Supervisors:
1. Approve the attached Resolution designating the eligible professional persons who can write and rescind Welfare and Institutions Code (W&I) section 5150 hold pursuant to the provisions of Welfare and Institutions Code section 5150(c) prior to transfer to a facility designated by the county for evaluation and treatment and approved by the State Department of Health Care Services.
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STRATEGIC PLAN:
This action supports the following areas of your Board’s Strategic Plan.
Area of Focus: Safe & Healthy Communities
Strategic Plan Category: 1002- Remove barriers to quality healthcare
DISCUSSION:
W&I Code section 5150 provides authority for the Board of Supervisors to designate eligible professionals who can initiate and discontinue 72-hour holds for evaluation and treatment of individuals who, as a result of a mental health disorder, are considered a danger to themselves, others, or are gravely disabled. In addition to the persons listed in W&I Code section 5150, on Sept. 15, 2015 (item C-10, Resolution No. 15-101) and June 14, 2022 (22-739, Resolution No. 22-82), your board authorized certain eligible professional persons to initiate and discontinue those holds.
The County Behavioral Health Director is authorized to develop procedures for the county’s designation and training of professionals who will be designated to perform functions under W&I Code section 5150 including an application and approval process, initial and ongoing training and testing requirements, and monitoring and reviewing to ensure appropriate compliance with state law, regulations, and county procedures. County Behavioral Health, per these authorizations, has produced policies and procedures as well as training protocols to be used.
This Resolution updates references of 5150(b) to 5150(c), Mental Health Director to Behavioral Health Director and modifies the licensure types in the following areas for designation to initiate and discontinue a W&I Code section 5150 hold:
1. Adds Organizational Providers contracted to provide mobile crisis response for the Department as designated by the Behavioral Health Director.
a. Licensed Clinical Social Workers;
b. Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists;
c. Licensed Professional Clinical Counselors;
d. Board of behavioral sciences (BBS) registered
i. Associate Clinical Social Workers;
ii. Associate Marriage and Family Therapists; and
iii. Associate Professional Clinical Counselors.
2. Re-defines “emergency department providers” to “on-duty emergency department providers”, changes “emergency room services” to “emergency services”, and adds the following professionals from the group.
a. Licensed Physicians
b. Licensed Psychologists
c. Licensed Clinical Social Workers;
d. Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists;
e. Licensed Professional Clinical Counselors;
f. Registered Nurses
3. Re-defines “on-duty licensed employees and contractors of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) - Behavioral Health” to “on-duty employees and internal contractors of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) - Behavioral Health”
4. Re-defines “Licensed Physicians offering emergency services at the K’ima:w Medical Center” to “The following employees offering emergency services at the K’ima:w Medical Center” and adds the following professionals to the group.
a. Licensed Physicians
b. Licensed Psychologists
c. Licensed Clinical Social Workers
d. Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists
e. Licensed Professional Clinical Counselors
SOURCE OF FUNDING:
Behavioral Health Fund (1170)
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
There are no costs for the county associated with this Resolution.
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
Your Board may choose to not approve the attached Resolution; however, DHHS does not support this alternative because this resolution is utilizing available resources more efficiently and is consistent with the language of the law.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Resolution Recommended for Adoption
PREVIOUS ACTION/REFERRAL:
Board Order No.: C-15; B-2; C-10; D-17
Meeting of: 07/24/2007; 12/17/2013; 09/15/2015; 06/14/2022
File No.: 17-0550; 16-0666; 15-1005; 22-739