Who Can Lift a (5150) Hold
Humboldt County

ONLY professionals designated by the County Behavioral Health Director can rescind a 5150 hold.

• Only certain individuals who have already been certified to write a 5150 within the last 2 years can be eligible to take the 5150 Rescinding Training to be able to apply to be designated by the Director of Humboldt County Behavioral Health to rescind a 5150 hold application by doing the 5150 (c)/MRT assessment.

Questions regarding eligibility process and criteria to obtain Designation to Rescind 5150 Holds must be directed to Humboldt County Behavioral Health at 707-268-2990

 Board of Supervisors Resolution #15-101 September 15, 2015 WIC section 5150(c) allows for (with training*) eligible professionals as designated by the County Board of Supervisors, to assess whether a person can be properly served without being detained and discontinue the WIC 5150 hold.

Upon assessment, if in the judgment of the designated professional the person can be properly served without being detained, then the WIC 5150 hold can be discontinued and the person provided evaluation, crisis intervention, or other inpatient or outpatient services on a voluntary basis. Referrals can be made for follow up appointment with ongoing provider of the client’s choice, primary care provider, or mental health professionals.

Rescinded 5150’s must contain a notation on the form indicating time, date and reason for the discontinuance. To allow ongoing monitoring and training, all Rescinded 5150 applications must be faxed/sent to Behavioral Health CSU at 707-476-4066.

Humboldt County is fortunate to have a Crisis Stabilization Unit (CSU), where individuals can be assessed to determine if psychiatric hospitalization is required, or if the individual can be served utilizing less restrictive, lower level of care, usually home. A person CAN STILL meet 5150 criteria and ALSO no longer be holdable if they are able to be served voluntarily…this means that if a person who has been placed on a hold is willing to accept services willingly and voluntarily, they should NOT be admitted under an involuntary 5150 hold (and suffer the potential life-time stigma of that designation, lose their right to bear arms, etc). Just because a person is dangerous to others, self, or gravely disabled does not mean they should be placed on a hold, and does not mean they can’t be released from a hold and staff will make appropriate referrals for all individuals who do not require hospitalization. (WIC 5150(c)).
There is not a psychiatrist on the (Crisis Stabilization Unit) floor at all times, so individuals may have to wait until the next day to be assessed by the psychiatrist.

Mobile Response Team (MRT) Program

ACTIVATION:

The Mobile Response Team (MRT) Program sends out responders once notification is received from an Emergency Department that they want to send someone over to County Behavioral Health on a 5150 hold. (The Mobile Response Team= County Behavioral Health continues to work on hiring staff with the goal to make it permanent, with hours of 7:00 to 7:00, 7 days a week, but is not there yet).

HOURS:

Currently, County Behavioral Health sends out responders during the hours of 7:00 am to 6:00 pm, 7 days a week. There is currently  (1) FT Adult clinician, (2) Adult Peer coaches & & (2) FT Children’s clinician available. Behavioral Health has a crisis worker available for response to MINORS 10-hours-a-day, seven days-a-week.  Availability of staff to respond is limited by clinician’s availability. If clinicians are otherwise scheduled, County Behavioral Health may not be able to send someone out immediately.

MINORS:

County Behavioral Health’s goal is to try to see all minors on holds in the hospital Emergency Department. If the minor meets the proper criteria, the minor can have his or her hold rescinded by one of the Mobile Response Team (MRT) clinicians, who have been trained specifically on rescinding 5150 and 5585 Holds.