Thursday event: Mental Health Opens Urgent Care Center

COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES

Department of Mental Health

550 S. Vermont Avenue

Los Angeles, California 90020

(213) 351-5297

Marvin J. Southard, D.S.W., Director

William T Fujioka Chief Executive Officer

.

 

 

PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release

	CONTACT: Kathleen Piché, LCSW (213) 738-4041 kpiche@dmh.lacounty.gov

 

  

                                                  

 

LOS ANGELES COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH

LAUNCHES EXODUS URGENT CARE

 

LOS ANGELES (Wednesday, April 14, 2010)—The Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (LACDMH) will celebrate the opening of Exodus Recovery Urgent Care Center, located at 1920 Marengo Street (across from LAC/USC Hospital), on Thursday, April 15, from 4-7 PM.

 

Exodus Recovery, Inc. (Exodus Recovery), in collaboration with LACDMH and Department of Health Services (DHS), Los Angeles County and University of Southern California (LAC+USC) Medical Center, have established an Urgent Care Center (UCC) in close proximity to LAC+USC.  The UCC is intended to relieve overcrowding in the Psychiatric Emergency Services (PES) and the related increasing demand for inpatient psychiatric services.

 

Exodus Recovery Urgent Care Center (UCC) is anticipated to divert approximately 6,000 mentally ill individuals from the Psychiatric Emergency Services (PES) each year, greatly decreasing the stress on emergency services and reducing the number of inpatient admissions.  Through community outreach to law enforcement, community mental health clinics and community services groups, it is anticipated that many individuals will be brought directly to the UCC, further reducing stress on the PES. The UCC will treat clients who require comprehensive psychiatric evaluation and treatment in order to stabilize their mental health crisis.

 

The program design is based on a successful model operating in West Los Angeles that utilizes a warm, welcoming environment where a person in a mental health crisis will be seen immediately, evaluated by a professional and receive appropriate services.  All interventions are specialized and each individual will be discharged to community-based services or, when more than 23 hours of intensive treatment is necessary, placed in an inpatient facility.  From its inception, the UCC will operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

 

URGENT CARE SERVICES OFFERED:

 

·         Psychiatric Evaluation (including 5150 evaluation)

·         Assessment for Co-occurring Substance Abuse Disorders

·         Medication Support Services

·         Crisis Intervention and Stabilization

·         Activities of Daily Living Services (showers, clothing, washer/dryer, personal care kits, food)

·         Inpatient Placement (when necessary)

·         Discharge Planning

·         Linkage to Community Services

·         Transportation

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