Subcommittee of the City Council and Alameda Health Care District Board
November 13, 2023

Hospital/City Opportunities for
Behavioral Health Services
Partnership
Subcommittee of the City Council and
Alameda Health Care District Board
11/13/2023
Concepts Identified
• Increasing need for acute mental health services (for those who don’t meet 5150 requirements) and substance abuse
services, particularly for people who are unhoused
• Alameda Hospital has vacant space plus requirement to complete seismic improvements and additional funding could be helpful
• Significant funding is available through the State to create behavioral health facilities
Research and Due Diligence
• Multiple meetings with Alameda Health Systems staff to discuss needs and opportunities for collaboration
• Met with BACS (Bay Area Community Services), who provides behavioral health services for unhoused individuals in
Oakland, Hayward
• Toured vacant spaces at Alameda Hospital and included BACS staff to provide specialized professional input
• Researched behavioral health service options in other areas • Toured Amber House, operated by BACS, in Oakland (Crisis Stabilization Unit and Crisis Residential Treatment beds) Initial Conclusions
• Alameda Hospital
• Old L&D on second floor considered for Crisis Residential Treatment and determined not appropriate due to access through main hospital • Old cafeteria space considered for Crisis Stabilization Unit and could be feasible but is not ideal
• Existing CSU/CRT facilities are available to Alameda residents • Amber House is a resource for acute mental health stabilization services for people who are unhoused in Alameda County
• Alameda CARE team and HHS staff are now connected with BACS staff and able to refer clients
• Additional CSU/CRT facility within Alameda is not needed at this time Next Steps and Collaboration Opportunities
• Substance abuse treatment remains a need, especially medical detox with supportive services and out-patient
• AHS has the Bridge Clinic at Wilma Chan Highland Hospital Campus and San Leandro Hospital
• Successful model with community health workers who work with people in ED with substance abuse to connect them with community services
• Highland Hospital has out-patient substance abuse program that could be modeled on a smaller scale at Alameda Hospital • Consider options for an in-patient substance abuse unit and geropsychiatric services for mental health in-patient care at Alameda Hospital