New emergency psychiatric unit focuses on youth in crisis
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA (July 30, 2024) — A unit committed to serving the emergency psychiatric needs of youngsters is now operating in its own quarters next door to the Contra Costa County Regional Medical Center.
The Contra Costa Youth Crisis Stabilization Unit (CSU) will serve children ages 6 to 17 for the first 24 hours of a diagnosed psychiatric emergency. It opened June 24 at 25 Allen St. in the same building as Miller Wellness Center.
The county contracted with Pacific Clinics to support the new unit. Pacific Clinics also provides behavioral health, social services, substance use treatment and wellness programs through its Salvio Street outpatient facility in Concord.
“Pacific Clinics’ expertise and experience in running a Youth CSU for Santa Clara County make them a great partner to serve the youth in Contra Costa County,” said Dr. Stephen Field, medical director of Behavioral Services for Contra Costa Health Services (CCHS).
A separate space for youth
The desire for a designated treatment space separate from adults also experiencing mental health crises was one impetus for CSU’s creation. But critical issues related to mental health and substance use by youth that were exacerbated by the isolation and anxiety from the COVID-19 pandemic further prioritized this need.
“It became more apparent that the very idea of treatment ‘space’ was needed to keep our community safe and healthy – both physically and emotionally,” Field said.
Psychiatrists, registered nurses, licensed vocational nurses, licensed psychiatric technicians, clinicians and crisis intervention specialists will make up the facility’s full-time, 23-member staff. They will help patients with crisis intervention, mental health assessment, medication assistance and therapy. Staff will also offer alcohol and drug screening services, case management and peer support.
“The goal is to stabilize the unit’s patients and connect them with mental health services without requiring inpatient hospitalization,” CCHS said in a statement.
No adverse impact on existing facility
County health officials don’t expect any adverse impact on Pacific Clinic’s existing facility. In fact, they see the Concord site as an asset to provide administrative support and space if needed.
“The new unit further expands our continuum of care to meet clients where they are at, and provide help when they need it most,” said Field. “Our continuum of care includes serving the child and teen population with psychiatric care through our clinics, school-based programs, full-service partnerships (FSPs), A3 crisis response team, the new Youth Crisis Stabilization Unit and referral to inpatient psychiatric care.”
There were 1,072 admissions in 2023 for pediatric psychiatric patients at the regional medical center, according to CCHS. Most of the youth patients were adolescents and teens with depression and were at risk of suicide.
A grant from the California Health Facilities Finance Authority (CHFFA) funded $2.8 million in construction and startup costs as part of the unit’s annual operating budget of $4.4 million.
David Scholz
David Scholz is back in journalism as a freelance writer and photographer after nearly two decades in education. Prior to moving into teaching in 2000, he worked as a full-time journalist since 1988 for rural community and small daily newspapers in Central Ohio and Northern Nevada, and later in California with The Business Journal in Fresno and dailies in the Bay Area, including The Oakland Tribune and The San Francisco Chronicle. More recently Scholz also worked in an editing, writing, and page layout role with the Rossmoor News.