Arrowhead Regional Medical Center (ARMC) received two 2018 Achievement Awards presented by the National Association of Counties (NACo). ARMC’s Maternal Mental Wellness Education and Support Program, and its Behavioral Health Service Delivery Model Program, have been recognized as innovative county programs strengthening services provided to the public. Both programs were recognized at an awards ceremony on July 15 at the association’s annual conference in Nashville, Tennessee.
The ARMC Maternal Mental Wellness Education and Support Program, in collaboration with the San Bernardino County Children’s Network, enables the Medical Center to provide educational resources and ongoing support to maternal patients. The County of San Bernardino and ARMC were recognized in 2016 with a NACo award for this partnership, and are recognized this year for further enhancing the program by upgrading training for screening and recognizing the symptoms of a maternal mental health concerns, reducing the stigma against seeking help within the community, and increasing access to resources for women seeking help. The program has resulted in a 50 percent increase in the number of pregnant or postpartum patients recognized as being at-risk and referred for additional treatment.
The award for the Behavioral Health Service Delivery Model recognizes the program’s effectiveness in helping individuals with a suspected or potential mental illness entering the Emergency Department to receive a timely psychiatric evaluation and access to an appropriate level of treatment. This program has successfully addressed these issues by establishing a second portal of entrance for psychiatric patients. The Crisis Stabilization Unit (CSU) provides adult patients who have an urgent need to receive crisis stabilization in a safe and structured setting. The 24/7 CSU was designed to address the clinical, operational, and fiscal impact of psychiatric emergency room (triage) overcrowding and unreimbursed services. The CSU saved millions of dollars by reducing the number of unreimbursed services and replacing it with an innovative, reimbursable program.
About NACo:
Founded in 1935, NACo unites America’s 3,069 county governments bringing county officials together to advocate with a collective voice on national policy, exchange ideas and to build new leadership skills, pursue transformational county solutions, enrich the public’s understanding of county government, and exercise exemplary leadership in public service.