The Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) and its contract partners are responsible for providing mental health and substance use disorder and recovery services (SUDRS) to county residents experiencing major mental illness and/or substance use disorders.

Accomplishments:

• On March 1, 2018, DBH went live with expanded services through the Organized Delivery System waiver for SUD treatment under Drug Medi-Cal coverage.
• DBH has successfully hired eight Psychiatrists right out of training from local and national residency programs in the last fiscal year.
• DBH, along with key criminal justice partners in San Bernardino County, collaboratively established Pre-Trial Felony Mental Health (MH) Diversion Program in which we have already served more than 13 people.
• DBH received approval of an Innovations project, which draws down $17 Million dollars of Mental Health Services Act Funds, to be spent over 5 years, to implement the Innovative Remote Onsite Assistance Delivery (InnROADs) program. InnROADs is an intensive, field-based engagement model that supports multidisciplinary/multiagency teams that meet, engage, and provide treatment to consumers and their families where they live within homeless communities.

Goals:

• DBH plans to enhance collaboration with our Law and Justice Partners by creating outpatient and wraparound programming for incompetent to stand trial, pre-trial and mental health diversion.
• DBH plans to enhance our homeless support services by the utilization of homeless mental funds available through the Department of Health Care Services to further establish a system of care for behavioral health support in the community.
• DBH plans to expand our integrated health practice model which will integrate comprehensive treatment plans that address the biological, psychological and social needs of the consumers we serve.
• DBH intends to implement a comprehensive Electronic Health Record (EHR) this year. This EHR is designed to allow staff the ability to create chart notes, create and store forms, track the Behavioral Health services provided, interface with ePrescription data and electronically provide treatment staff with client information, instead of maintaining a paper charts. The implementation of the EHR will create efficiencies for the County, DBH and most importantly, our clients.

Veronica Kelley, DSW, LCSW
Director, Department of Behavioral Health