2023 Civil Grand Jury — Mental Health Report Trinity County

"Trinity County Behavioral Health and Trinity Hospital are dependent on each other's cooperation to ensure the needs of crisis patients are being met. It appears that there is a I. lack of cooperation of miscommunications on the responsibilities of each partner." Re Response Finding 2: This finding is completely inaccurate. TCBH and MCHD have spent ho hours trying to care for mental health patients as thoroughly, safely, and efficiently as possible, but there are a number of factors outside our control that are present. Both entities have very limited :ed budgets, trained staff, appropriate facilities for a true 5150 hold, and most of all, a facifacility lity to appropriately and readily transfer these patients to for specialized care. These are all issues es that have been problems in the past and will continue to be long into the future in pretty mu h every county in the state and county. Continuing Continuing in the report, MCHD physicians are not allowed to place a 5150 holds according to county ty regulation, so TCBH is never dependent on MCHD to initiate a hold. MCHD ER physicians physicians are well trained in resolving medical issues which many 5150 patients have along with their crisis situation. Medical issues such as illness, disease, or injury are the first priority of the ER physicians, even with a mental health patient. ER physicians are not expertly trained in mental health and rely on behavioral health specialist or psychiatrists to lead the crisis situation. There is an MOU that was going back and forth between the county, TCBH, and MCHD until Richard Kuhn resigned as CAO of the county. We still have a copy, have spoken to CAO Trent Tuthill about it, and recently spoke with TCBH Director, Connie Smith, about picking back up where we left off. While it may have some benefits, overall, we still lack in staffing, budget, space, and hospitals that accept transfers in a timely fashion. Connie and I have a good relationship and have spoken recently. We agree that continually trying to make these tough situations better is a goal for both of us and the entities that were lead. I have complete faith that CAO Tuthill has similar goals in the discussions I have had with him, but the limitations P O Box 1229 • Weaverville CA 96093 • (530) 623-5541 that t I have listed are true barriers that are real and not things that likely can be resolved, and certainly not resolved as simply as the Grand Jury report makes it sound. In losing, I do appreciate the intent of the Grand Jury but this topic is widely considered unsolvable across the country. That absolutely does not mean that we won't continually try to improve rove the processes every step of the way, because we will. It is important to MCHD, TCBH, an Trinity County, but so much of the final outcomes rely on specialized hospitals and funding outside side of Trinity County. Sincerely, Aaron on Rogers, CEO CC: County Administrative Office "Clerk of the Board" P O Box 1229 • Weaverville CA 96093 • (530) 623-5541