Latest California Healthline Stories
New Programs Raise Bar for Behavioral Health in L.A. County, Statewide
For those who deliver behavioral health services, the Excellence in Mental Health Act brings new opportunities to increase access to community mental health and substance use treatment.
Mental Health Access Crisis Hitting EDs
A lawsuit alleges Los Angeles County has denied care access to individuals with mental illness, while a new study says reductions in mental health services is swamping emergency departments.
Aid for Police in Handling Mentally Ill
The governor approved two bills calling for new training practices for California peace officers in dealing with individuals with mental illnesses.
UC-Merced Leverages Technology To Improve Access to Mental Health Care
UC-Merced is the first campus in the University of California system to use telemedicine for mental health services, a natural for millennials who grew up with technology, according to school officials.
Feds OK State’s Drug Medi-Cal Waiver
Federal health officials gave the green light to California’s plan to revamp and better coordinate physical and mental health services delivered in Medi-Cal.
Hearing Targets Foster Kids’ Medication
Foster children are prescribed psychotropic medications at a higher rate than other kids, and lawmakers convened to find out what’s being done about it.
Evaluation Trumps Incarceration in L.A. Police Dept. Mental Health Efforts
The Los Angeles Police Department’s Mental Evaluation Unit is winning rave reviews locally, in other states and from a few foreign countries, as well. Stakeholders say the program could be even better with more resources.
Medi-Cal Mental Health Waiver Approved
Integration of physical and mental health in the Medi-Cal program got a boost from federal approval of a five-year extension of the specialty mental health services waiver.
Analyst’s Office Cites ‘Shortcomings’ in Mental Health Hospitals’ Administration
Poor budgeting methods, administrative inefficiencies and unclear staffing needs all combine for a low score for the California Department of State Hospitals, according to a new report from the Legislative Analyst’s Office.
UCLA Report Shows How Some Clinics Integrate Mental Health Into Primary Care
Integrating mental health into the primary care setting can be done in a relatively straightforward way, according to UCLA researchers who studied five California clinics.