Score: +2
(2/4/0)
San Mateo County Grand Jury
• 2014-2015
Treatment for Adult Mental Illness in San Mateo County What Exists? What Should Exist?
⚠️ Translation Notice: This content has been automatically translated. The original English text is the official version. Translation may contain errors.
⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.
Findings and Recommendations 7 findings
F1
As of May 2015 there are 812 inmates in the County jail. Approximately 19% are diagnosed with mental health illness. Seventy-eight of these inmates have been diagnosed with SMI and 27 of them are kept in administrative segregation away from the general population.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1
The San Mateo County Grand Jury recommends that the Board of Supervisors:
Implement AOT, known as Laura’s Law in California. The San Mateo County Grand Jury further recommends that the Board of Supervisors direct the County’s Health System to:
F2
Studies have shown AOT to be effective in reducing the incidence and duration of hospitalization, homelessness, arrests and incarcerations, victimization, and violent episodes.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2
The San Mateo County Grand Jury recommends that the Board of Supervisors:
Implement coordinated and computerized medical records systems across its divisions (including but not limited to the San Mateo Medical Center, BHRS, and the Correction Health Services division) to the extent consistent with existing law.
F3
Laura’s Law, California’s form of AOT, has not been implemented by the County’s Board of Supervisors. County of Santa Clara Mental Health Department. http://www.sccgov.org/sites/mhd/Pages/default.aspx. San Mateo County Mental Health Coordinators, interview by the Grand Jury. San Mateo County Health Official, interview by the Grand Jury. M. De Hert et al., “Physical Illness in Patients with Severe Mental Disorders. I Prevalence, Impact of Medications and Disparities in Health Care,” World Psychiatry 10.1 (2011): 52-77.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3
The San Mateo County Grand Jury recommends that the Board of Supervisors:
Design County Health System division websites to be more useful for individuals who need immediate help with behavioral issues and emergencies. Links to all providers should be well-placed and easy to access.
F4
Mental health jail diversion programs have emerged as a potential solution to the criminal detention of individuals with mental disorders. The County of San Mateo does not have a pre-plea mental health diversion program.
Related Recommendations (1)
R4
The San Mateo County Grand Jury recommends that the Board of Supervisors:
Develop a public awareness campaign regarding mental health services including which services are available to individuals with private insurance. The public should be aware of existing programs such as FAST and SMART as well as other programs under development. The San Mateo County Grand Jury further recommends that the District Attorney’s Office and the Health System coordinate their efforts to:
F5
Medical record keeping is not consistent among the Health System’s divisions. In particular, BHRS and the San Mateo Medical Center’s Psychiatric Emergency Services have separate electronic medical record keeping systems. The Correctional Health division, which provides services in the County’s jails, does not have a computerized system for medical records.
Related Recommendations (1)
R5
The San Mateo County Grand Jury recommends that the Board of Supervisors:
Develop a mental health pre-plea jail diversion program. To the extent that such a pre-plea program requires the cooperation of the Superior Court, the Grand Jury recommends that the District Attorney’s Office and the Health System coordinate their efforts to obtain such cooperation.
F6
The County’s network of mental health services is highly complex and difficult to navigate with no central point of access. As an example, there are three Health Systems divisions that deal with adult mental health: San Mateo Medical Center, BHRS, and Aging and Adult Services, as well as many private mental health service providers that contract with the County.
No recommendations for this finding
F7
Public awareness of mental health services is insufficient. Websites regarding County services to the mentally ill are difficult to navigate. There is an information deficit for mental health services.
No recommendations for this finding
Agency Responses 1
Government agencies' official responses to this report's findings and recommendations. Click on a response to see the structured breakdown.