Excellence in EMS Integration Award: This award recognizes a non-EMS organization that has developed and implemented a partnership with EMS organizations that have demonstrated enhancement of patient experience of care, improved patient outcomes, or reduced the cost of healthcare.
Description
Since 2016, Exodus Recovery has served as an alternate destination for 9-1-1 patients with acute mental health exacerbations or isolated alcohol intoxication attended by the Los Angeles Fire Department. Exodus runs several mental health urgent care centers around Los Angeles County offering crisis stabilization services, and runs the only Sobering Center in Southern California - located in Skid Row. Exodus worked closely with the LAFD Mobile Integrated Healthcare Unit to develop protocols and procedures to receive 9-1-1 patients so that they would not have to go to the emergency department. LAFD Advanced Practice Providers and/or alternate destination paramedics have applied medical clearance criteria to identify select patients for transport to Exodus facilities. This has led to thousands of patients being safely navigated to more appropriate care, putting EMS personnel and ambulances back into service more quickly and freeing up ED bed space in the busiest parts of the City of Los Angeles.
Organization Overview
Founded in 1989, Exodus Recovery, Inc. provides high-quality psychiatric and chemical dependency treatment services in collaboration with local hospitals and emergency medical service providers throughout Southern California. For the LA County Department of Mental Health, Exodus has developed and implemented an Integrated Service Agency Program (PARTNERS), an Adult Targeted Case Management Service Program, a Sidekicks Co-Occurring Disorders Program, an AB2034 Program, and an Alcohol and Drug Medi-Cal Contracted Program. Also, through LAC-DMH and the California Mental Health Services Act expansion and transformation, Exodus has developed and implemented additional Full-Service Partnership Programs, Wellness Center Programs, Field Capable Clinical Services Programs and Psychiatric Urgent Care Centers. In San Diego County, Exodus has established and operates two Mental Health Walk-In Assessment Centers, an AB 109 Program and Project Connect, a program contracted with the San Diego Regional Center.
Date of Implementation: May 2016
Number & Demographics of Patients/Members
2544
Description of Outcomes / Utilization / Change
From May 2016 through May 2021, over 2500 patients have been transported by LAFD to Exodus facilities, saving an estimated 25,000 hours in local ED bed time in downtown, East and South Los Angles. Less than 1% of mental health patients and <2.5% of intoxicated patients have required secondary transport to the emergency department.
Supporting Links
The following peer-reviewed journal article provides an overview of the first year of activity in this collaboration. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31621447/
