Patient Use Of Medical Marijuana Under Consideration At Marin General Hospital
The Marin Healthcare District Board will study the clinical and legal issues of allowing open drug use in the facility. In other hospital news, Santa Cruz County receives a $2.5-million award to build a dedicated mental health center.
Marin Independent Journal:
Marin Hospital To Study Medical Marijuana Use On Site
Marin General Hospital will study the feasibility of allowing patients at the hospital to use medicinal marijuana when it is recommended by their physician. The hospital is embarking on the investigation at the request of the publicly elected Marin Healthcare District board. The board voted 2-0 Tuesday night, with three members abstaining, to ask for the study. In an email statement, Marin General CEO Lee Domanico, said, “Marin General Hospital will consult with members of the medical staff, legal counsel and other experts to produce a response to this request.” (Halstead, 9/15)
KQED State of Health:
California Hospital Considers Allowing Patients To Use Medical Marijuana
On Tuesday evening, the Marin Healthcare District Board took a step in that direction by voting to ask its staff to investigate clinical and legal issues related to patient use of the drug on-site. Medical marijuana is legal in the state, but hospitals haven’t yet allowed patients to use it. (Fine, 9/14)
Santa Cruz Sentinel:
County To Build Mental Health Center In Watsonville With Alliance Grant
Mental health services in Santa Cruz County will get a big boost from the Central California Alliance for Health, which has awarded $2.5 million to build a 33-space treatment facility in Watsonville. It’s part of $20 million awarded by the Alliance, a nonprofit Medi-Cal managed care health plan, to organizations in Santa Cruz, Monterey and Merced counties, to expand the pipeline for services needed by more than 350,000 residents — nearly a third of the population — enrolled in the state Medi-Cal program in the wake of the Affordable Care Act. (Gumz, 9/14)