In the United States 1 out of 5 adults suffer from mental illness, ranging anywhere from depression to schizophrenia. 1 in 8 of all visits to US emergency departments are related to mental and substance use disorders. Statistics show that 60% of youth with major depression did not receive any mental health treatment in 2018. Even in states with the greatest access, over 38% are not receiving the mental health services they need.
Some cities in California are changing tactics to do their part in supporting the needs of our mental health patients. Places like Huntington Beach will be launching a Mobile Crisis Response in the Summer of 2021. This unit will be staffed with an emergency medical technician and clinically trained counselor. In Huntington Beach, this Mobile Crisis Response will be able to respond to a variety of calls, including homelessness, nonviolent disputes, and calls about people in crisis as a result of mental illness.
San Francisco has been running with a similar model since November of 2020. Recent legislation has been pushed to allow San Francisco paramedics to place patients on mental health holds in place of a police officer. Mental health calls result in approximately 1 percent of total call volume for the city of San Francisco.
Responses like this are not just picking up in California but nationwide. These changes will most likely become the new norm for these types of calls to service. With the state of mental crisis evolving, we continue to do as all healthcare providers have done over the course of the years: adapt to the changing needs of our communities and provide the best care to our patients.
