DEPARTMENT: San Antonio Fire Department
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Charles N. Hood
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: City Wide
SUBJECT:
Southwest Texas Regional Advisory Council for Trauma, Mobile Integrated Health/Mental Health Unit Program for Intensive Care Collaboration (PICC) Donation Acceptance
SUMMARY:
This ordinance authorizes the acceptance and appropriation of a donation from the Southwest Texas Regional Advisory Council for Trauma (STRAC) to the San Antonio Fire Department in the amount up to $311,820, approves a program budget, and appropriates funds up to $310,320 to be used by the Mobile Integrated Healthcare (MIH) unit of the EMS division of the San Antonio Fire Department for SAFD personnel costs and $1,500 for equipment to be used by the San Antonio Fire Department to help improve outpatient services of residents who are repeatedly emergency detained by law enforcement officers and taken to local hospitals due to mental illness. Funding is for the period of January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2020.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The Southwest Texas Regional Advisory Council for Trauma (STRAC) was established to facilitate the development, implementation, and operation of a regional comprehensive trauma and emergency healthcare system based on accepted standards of care to decrease morbidity and mortality. Funds from STRAC are awarded to assist in improving the functionality of EMS agencies in the State of Texas. STRAC has received donation funding for a program, called the Program for Intensive Care Collaboration (PICC) from the South Texas Crisis Collaborative (STCC), which is comprised of various healthcare systems and philanthropic organizations to reduce the number of high volume emergency detentions to local hospitals.
In 2018 there were over 14,000 emergency detentions by the San Antonio Police Department (SAPD) that were routed to local hospitals utilizing STRAC’s law enforcement navigation system. In 2019 there were 20,313 Emergency Detentions by the San Antonio Police Department (SAPD) that were routed to local hospitals utilizing STRAC’s law enforcement navigation system.
Launched in July 2019 the PICC program has been able to connect with 152 clients with a total of 6,959 visits. The PICC program utilizes two (2) SAFD MIH paramedics to work side by side with two (2) SAPD Mental Health Unit (MHU) officers and the Local Mental Health Authority-Center Health Care Services (CHCS) personnel to connect with a high volume utilizer during the pre and post mental health crisis. A representative from SAFD MIH, SAPD MHU and the Local Mental Health Authority will initially meet with each new high volume utilizer to create a care plan for that individual. Once a care plan is developed the PICC team will work to keep the high volume utilizer out of crisis and in care. MIH and MHU will assist with case management for high volume utilizers who are in need of services. In the program the PICC team will be focusing on 100 high volume utilizers who have been emergency detained more than six (6) times in the last six months or three (3) times in the last month.
ISSUE:
This ordinance authorizes the acceptance of a donation from the Southwest Texas Regional Advisory Council for Trauma (STRAC) in an amount up to $311,820 to the San Antonio Fire Department, and approves program budgets. Donation funds will be used to pay for overtime to staff two (40 hour/week) SAFD MIH paramedics to create the medical aspects of the PICC team. The SAFD MIH paramedics are trained in Crisis Intervention and will provide medical assistance and social assistance when needed. The PICC team helps the new or existing client in the compliance of that client’s personal care plan to decrease the residents who are repeatedly emergency detained and taken to local hospitals.
ALTERNATIVES:
If funding were not accepted, clients would be emergency detained and transported to local hospitals, which would continue overutilization of city resources and tie up emergency rooms for up to 72 hours before clients are released.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This ordinance authorizes the acceptance and appropriation of a donation from the Southwest Texas Regional Advisory Council for Trauma (STRAC) to the San Antonio Fire Department in the amount up to $311,820, approves a program budget, and appropriates funds up to $310,320 to be used by the Mobile Integrated Healthcare (MIH) unit of the EMS division of the San Antonio Fire Department for personnel costs and $1,500 to be used for equipment by the San Antonio Fire Department to help improve outpatient services of residents who are repeatedly emergency detained by law enforcement officers and taken to local hospitals due to mental illness.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of this ordinance to accept the donation up to $311,820 from the Southwest Texas Regional Advisory Council for Trauma (STRAC).