HomeMy WebLinkAbout03.25.20 Email from Scott Kennelly - COVID Update from BCBH
From:Kennelly, Scott
To:Alpert, Bruce;Bennett, Robin;Clerk of the Board;Connelly, Bill;Cook, Holly;Lambert, Steve;Lucero, Debra;
McCracken, Shari;Ring, Brian;Ritter, Tami;Rodas, Amalia;Sweeney, Kathleen;Teeter, Doug
Cc:Kim, Sang;McCracken, Shari
Subject:Update from BCBH
Date:Wednesday, March 25, 2020 3:53:56 PM
Good afternoon Supervisors,
I wanted to provide you with a couple of brief updates from Behavioral Health.
1)In response to COVID19 outbreak we have closed all of our Prevention, Wellness and
Outpatient services to the public. Behavioral Health and SUD staff are primarily working from
home via phone or video to provide essential services to those clients who can use these
forms of communication. We are also providing field based services to our most at risk
clients who are homeless or who do not have stable housing supports and/or a phone. Most
of our psychiatry appointments are being done via tele-psychiatry (many stable clients have
received up to a 100 day supply of medication) but we are also providing limited in person
service in Chico and Oroville for new clients or for urgent care appointments following a
brief health screening.
2)Our PHF, CSU, and Crisis services remain operational on site and are operating with
enhanced safety measures in place (Ex: no in person visitors at the PHF only phone check ins
and health screenings before seeing staff in person) to limit COVID19 exposure
opportunities. Crisis and PHF services are mandatory services for Counties to maintain. The
challenge is reducing the amount of face to face contact and possible exposure while
maintaining critical and urgent care supports to the community. One example of a safety
precaution we are pursuing is that we are currently seeking the ability to do 5150 screenings
in the ERs via video and working with the IT staff to see if this can be done vs sending staff to
the hospitals where exposure risk is high.
3)The Iversen Center is closed and staff were reassigned to expand the Warm line support line
to 7 days a week and longer hours each day (11:30am-9:30pm).
4)We continue to provide outreach and treatment services to the Homeless shelters as well as
to operate our teams in concert with law enforcement.
5)Most of our administrative staff (payroll, billing, contracts, etc) are now back at work with a
limited number still working from home. These staff have been assigned to locations where
social distancing is maintained and no members of the public are coming into the building.
Also a number of our administrative staff are working at the EOC offering critical support at
this time.
6)Our Contracted providers (YFC, Victor, Counseling Solutions, NVCSS) are continuing to serve
youth through phone and video with limited in person contact for urgent appointments.
Some of our other providers such as the African American Resource Center and the Hmong
Cultural Center are also using phone and video to provide needed services.
7)The Behavioral Health Advisory Board meeting was cancelled this month and we are looking
at ways to resume this meeting next month.
8)I have been in daily contact with CBHDA and other County Directors looking at ways we can
adapt to changes and to continue to serve clients while protecting our workforce. The State
has been allowing more flexibility during this time and is seeking waivers to allow access to
critical care.
In addition to the COVID19 updates there were some additional updates I wanted to share:
1)I met with the Director of Willow Glenn ( a contracted provider for services we utilize
currently) about their planned opening of a new MHRC (mental health rehabilitative center)
in Sutter Yuba and the ability for us to place clients who have been placement challenges in
that facility. We are reviewing all of our clients who are in locked facilities at this time to see
who is appropriate to step down to this placement.
2)A second 16 bed PHF is opening up in Sutter Yuba in July adding to the inpatient bed options
for the North State. Use of this second PHF will reduce the need to place some clients in
Counties far away.
3)We are moving towards a centralized Access line for all people to call into to receive pre-
screenings and referrals to the most appropriate levels of care. This is to get into compliance
with a State mandate and will eliminate the need for screening clinics. More to come on this
after we get through COVID19.
4)Lastly, I met with Mike Wiltermood (CEO of Enloe) earlier this month about the old Enloe
hospital building at 560 Cohasset that we partially rent for services. Within the next two
years he is planning on having most of the Enloe programming in that building relocated.
The space that Enloe Behavioral Health occupies now will come available and we discussed
ways in which the County could gradually increase services in that building. This included
discussion about EBH (Enloe Behavioral Health). With them leaving there might be an
opportunity to add either a second PHF for Butte or a larger 32 inpatient locked facility
(funding contingent). In addition there is the possibility to lease more space so our youth
services can move into the building as well as the ability to expand many of our existing
programs to meet increased demand for services. We had planned a tour of the building
however that is currently on hold due to the COVID response. We will reschedule a tour
when this becomes an option.
If you have any questions please let me know.
Thanks,
Scott
Scott Kennelly L.C.S.W
Director Butte County Behavioral Health
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