Das Williams First District, Vice Chair Board of Supervisors Gregg Hart County Administration Building Second District

Recommendations 2

• R3
  That the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors propose shorter required response times to initiate medical and mental health protocols during the upcoming contract negotiation process. Prior Response on March 8, 2022 This recommendation requires further analysis. The Public Health and Behavioral Wellness departments will review the data from the quarterly contract reviews and, if warranted, develop revised contract performance metrics, utilizing best practices, for required response times to initiate medical and mental health care protocols. These potentially revised metrics will be incorporated in the upcoming contract negotiation process which begins in April 2022 and be presented to the Board of Supervisors as part of their approval consideration of the subsequent contract. Further Analysis This recommendation will not be implemented because it is not warranted. The Public Health and Behavioral Wellness departments reviewed data from the quarterly contract monitoring reviews including contract performance metrics outcomes, best practices, and standards for response times of medical and mental health care protocols. Current medical and mental health response times reflect National Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC) standards. If the NCCHC standards are updated or modified, the provider will be required to meet those standards pursuant to contract requirements.
• R4
  That the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors propose that on-site mental health professionals be employed at County jails from 11:00 PM to 7:00 AM daily during the upcoming contract negotiation process. Prior Response on March 8, 2022 This recommendation requires further analysis. The Public Health and Behavioral Wellness departments, together with the Sheriff’s Department, will evaluate the need for this higher level of contract services. If warranted, this requirement will be incorporated in the upcoming contract negotiation process between the County and Wellpath scheduled to begin in April 2022 and be presented to the Board of Supervisors as part of their approval consideration of the subsequent contract. Further Analysis This recommendation will not be implemented because it is not warranted. The Public Health and Behavioral Wellness departments, together with the Sheriff’s Department, evaluated the proposal for this higher level of contract services and concluded that it isn’t warranted. When an overnight intake or admission occurs between the hours of 11:00 PM to 7:00 AM daily, a mental health professional is available on-call for the assessment. The Department of Behavioral Wellness staff respond to all crisis calls in the jail when needed, including these night time hours. When the on-call mental health professional based on the assessment or jail staff identifies a crisis call is warranted, a crisis call is immediately made and Behavioral Wellness staff responds in the jail. The mental health services needs during the evening hours are low and an on-site night time role is not justifiable as the current on-call system meets the required assessment timeframes and is supported by Behavioral Wellness crisis response staffing in the jail when called.