California Awards $4.6 Million To Emergency Departments To Train Behavioral Health Navigators

The California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) awarded more than $4.6 million to 39 hospitals with emergency departments (EDs), each receiving $120,000 to train behavioral health navigators to help expand access to addiction and mental health services. The awards are part of DHCS’ CalBridge Behavioral Health Navigator Program. To date, 282 hospitals have received funding under CalBridge.

California general acute care hospitals with EDs (comprehensive, basic, or standby) that receive funding can:

Establish and train behavioral health navigators to increase consumer access to care.
Identify, screen, and interview consumers with substance use disorders and co-occurring mental . . .