Project Grant H79FG000772

MENTAL HEALTH URGENT CARE CENTER TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS CARE - THE CITIES OF DUBLIN, LIVERMORE, AND PLEASANTON ALONG WITH THE COUNTY OF ALAMEDA HAVE PARTNERED WITH AXIS COMMUNITY HEALTH TO ESTABLISH AXIS BRIDGE, A MENTAL HEALTH URGENT CARE CENTER. AXIS BRIDGE IS A NEW, INNOVATIVE SOLUTION WHICH SERVICES AS A CENTRAL ENTRY POINT FOR ASSESSMENT, TRIAGE, TREATMENT, AND CARE COORDINATION FOR ANYONE SEEKING MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT, REGARDLESS OF INCOME LEVEL, INSURANCE TYPE OR STATUS, AND RESIDENCY WITHIN ALAMEDA COUNTY. LIKE A MEDICAL URGENT CARE SETTING, THE PROJECT WILL PROVIDE ASSESSMENT AND TIMELY CONNECTION TO SERVICES--IN A SETTING THAT IS LESS COSTLY THAN AN EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT. INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES WITH URGENT MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS ARE ABLE TO CALL FOR SAME-DAY OR NEXT DAY APPOINTMENTS. DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, SERVICES HAVE BEEN PROVIDED VIA TELEHEALTH; LONG-TERM PLANS INCLUDE A WALK-IN ACCESS POINT AS WELL. AXIS BRIDGE PATIENTS ARE ASSESSED TO DETERMINE WHERE THEIR CONDITION FALLS IN THE DIAGNOSTIC RANGE THAT INCLUDES: 1) MILE TO MODERATE, 2) MODERATE, OR 3) SEVERE. TYPICALLY, THE MAJORITY OF PATIENTS IN A COMMUNITY SETTING ARE IN THE MILD TO MODERATE RANGE. THE VAST MAJORITY OF PATIENTS IN A COMMUNITY SETTING ARE TREATABLE BY PROGRAM STAFF. A SMALL PERCENTAGE REQUIRE MEDICATION PRIOR TO BEING ABLE TO BENEFIT FROM TREATMENT, AND UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF THE PROGRAM'S PSYCHIATRIST ARE REFERRED TO HIGHER LEVELS OF CARE. STAFF UTILIZE MENTAL HEALTH SCREENING TOOLS, CONDUCT BIO-PSYCHOSOCIAL DIAGNOSTIC ASSESSMENTS AND PROVIDE BRIEF COUNSELING AND TRAUMA TREATMENT. AXIS BRIDGE STAFF HAVE THE ABILITY TO CONDUCT ASSESSMENTS FOR PATIENTS PRESENTING WITH SUICIDAL THINKING AND ARE ABLE TO DEESCALATE AND ARE FREQUENTLY ABLE TO AVERT 5150S (INVOLUNTARY 72-HOUR PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITALIZATIONS). THE PROVIDERS ARE EXPERIENCED AT INTERVENING WHEN SUICIDAL THOUGHTS ARE PRESENTED, AND MOST OFTEN, FOLLOWING CAREFUL ASSESSMENT AND DEVELOPMENT OF A SAFETY PLAN, A 5150 IS AVOIDED. PSYCHIATRIC CARE IS PROVIDED VIA TELEHEALTH FOR PATIENTS THAT REQUIRE MEDICATION MANAGEMENT. THE PSYCHIATRIST PRESCRIBES FOR PATIENTS ENROLLED IN MEDI-CAL PLANS; PATIENTS WITH OTHER INSURANCES ARE REFERRED TO THEIR PROVIDERS FOR MEDICATION. EVEN FOR PATIENTS WHO ARE MEDICATION-RESISTANT, WHICH IS FREQUENTLY THE CASE, A VISIT TO AXIS BRIDGE HELPS PAVE THE WAY FOR SUCH INTERVENTION IN THE FUTURE. LIKE MEDICAL URGENT CARE, STAFF SEE PATIENTS WITH AN IMMEDIATE NEED, AND ASSIST IN COORDINATING CARE THAT CONNECTS PATIENTS (AND FAMILIES) TO ONGOING CARE WITH A PROVIDER AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SUPPORT RESOURCES APPROPRIATE TO THEIR NEEDS FOR LONGER TERM CARE. THE DIRECT SERVICE LINE FOR AXIS BRIDGE IS COMMUNICATED TO KEY COMMUNITY PARTNERS, SUCH AS LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENTS, SAFETY NET ORGANIZATIONS, AND SCHOOL SOCIAL SERVICES STAFF, AS WELL AS THE GENERAL PUBLIC. AXIS BRIDGE HAS ALSO ESTABLISHED A DIRECT MESSAGING SYSTEM WITH THE LOCAL COMMUNITY HOSPITAL, STANFORD HEALTHCARE--VALLEYCARE THAT ALLOWS REFERRALS TO COME DIRECTLY FROM THEIR EMERGENCY ROOM TO AXIS BRIDGE FOR SAME DAY OR NEXT DAY FOLLOW-UP AS NEEDED. DURING ITS FIRST YEAR, AXIS BRIDGE MAINTAINED SERVICES VIA TELEHEALTH DUE TO THE COVID HEALTH CRISIS. SHOULD HEALTH CONDITIONS ALLOW, AXIS WILL BE ABLE TO OFFER A HYBRID MODEL OF TELEHEALTH AND IN-PERSON SERVICES, WHICH WILL PROVIDE PATIENTS GREATER ACCESS FLEXIBILITY. AXIS BRIDGE WILL ALSO EXPLORE OPTIONS FOR EXPANDING SERVICES TO A WIDER GEOGRAPHIC AREA, TO POTENTIALLY INCLUDE CITIES IN THE SOUTH PORTION OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY. AXIS BRIDGE PROVIDES 25-30 CARE COORDINATION VISITS PER WEEK, AND AN ESTIMATED 15-20 COUNSELING VISITS PER WEEK. APPROXIMATELY 500 UNIQUE PATIENTS WERE SERVED IN YEAR ONE.