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County behavioral health reports heavy caseloads, staffing shortfalls and aims to expand peer support
Summary
The countys interim behavioral health director told the Board of Supervisors on July 15 that specialty mental-health services serve the countys most acute Medi-Cal beneficiaries, that staff numbers fall well short of targets, and that the department plans to increase peer-support services and improve hospital and ER notification processes.
Sharon Souza, interim director of Plymouth County Behavioral Health, told the Board of Supervisors on July 15 that the department provided more than 10,000 services in 2024, handled hundreds of crisis evaluations and faces a staffing shortfall that limits care options.
Souza said the department is the countys specialty mental-health provider for Medi-Cal beneficiaries and provides 24/7 access, crisis intervention, targeted case management and medication services. She said the department recorded 517 requests for services in 2024; 200 screened into specialty care and the…
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