04/30/2013
A Sacramento Bee editorial states that although Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval "still has plenty of explaining to do about his state's cavalier policy of busing mentally ill patients" to California and other states, his administration "deserves credit" for now requiring such patients to have an escort. It concludes that all states "must understand that they have a fundamental obligation to care for people who through no fault of their own cannot care for themselves." Sacramento Bee.
04/30/2013
Mental health experts say that California soon could experience an increase in behavioral health care needs for elderly homeless individuals. They say that health providers could staff specialized workers around the clock to guide such individuals through treatment. Sacramento Bee.
04/30/2013
Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval says that an unspecified number of workers at Rawson-Neal Psychiatric Hospital in Las Vegas have been fired following an investigation of the hospital's practice of busing patients with mental illnesses to California and other states. Sacramento Bee.
04/29/2013
In a letter sent last week to Rawson-Neal Psychiatric Hospital in Nevada, CMS says that it will revoke the facility's Medicare funding if it continues to improperly discharge patients by sending them via buses to California and other states. AP/Washington Post et al.
04/29/2013
The Arc San Francisco was selected as one of five of The Arc's 700 sites nationwide to participate in a three-year, $1 million CDC-funded pilot study, called Health-Meet, that aims to help ensure that adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities receive routine health screenings and assistance with health care navigation. Researchers also will collect data to help address health system gaps. San Francisco Chronicle.
04/25/2013
At a Los Angeles Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday, L.A. County Chief Probation Officer Jerry Powers said that he and officials from other counties have told the state Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation that they are not willing to accept any more inmates under prison realignment initiatives. The state has been working under a federal overseer to reduce its prison population to help improve inmates' health care. KPCC's "The Latest."
04/25/2013
Nevada officials say they are changing a patient discharge policy so that individuals with mental illnesses sent to locations in California or other states must be accompanied by a chaperone. The change is effective immediately. Sacramento Bee.
04/24/2013
The Los Angeles City Attorney is pursuing a criminal investigation into whether a Nevada mental health hospital sent patients with mental illnesses via buses to cities in California and other states. Nevada's governor denies systematic wrongdoing at the hospital. Sacramento Bee, AP/Sacramento Bee.
04/23/2013
The San Francisco city attorney is seeking documentation from Nevada health officials on the alleged practice of sending patients with mental illnesses via buses to cities in California and other states. Los Angeles Times' "L.A. Now," Sacramento Bee.
04/23/2013
The California Senate has given final approval to a bill that would allocate $24 million to help disarm individuals who are prohibited from possessing guns because of mental illnesses or other factors. The bill now goes to Gov. Brown for consideration. NBC 7 San Diego, Capital Public Radio's "KXJZ News."
04/22/2013
A new proposal from HHS seeks to address legal barriers under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act that prevent states from reporting certain medical and mental health data to a federal gun-purchase background check database. The Hill's "RegWatch" et al.
04/19/2013
The Assembly approved a bill to boost efforts to disarm individuals who are prohibited from possessing guns because of mental illness or other factors. The bill now goes back to the Senate for a final vote before heading to Gov. Brown. AP/UT-San Diego et al.
04/19/2013
A Nevada mental health hospital that allegedly put hundreds of mentally ill patients on buses and sent them to cities in California and other states is being investigated by city attorneys in San Francisco and Los Angeles, as well as the Joint Commission and CMS. Sacramento Bee.
04/17/2013
The number of Californians with drug and alcohol addictions who would qualify for substance misuse treatment coverage through Medi-Cal is projected to increase by about 146,000 when the program expands under the Affordable Care Act next year, according to California Department of Health Care Services data. However, recent funding cuts could make it difficult for health care providers to treat the influx of new patients. AP/Stockton Record.
04/17/2013
Gov. Brown says that state officials will prepare to release up to 10,000 inmates if they are forced to obey court-ordered prison population caps. California was ordered to reduce its prison population to help improve inmates' medical and mental health care services. Sacramento Bee's "Capitol Alert."