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Ting Supports Patient Access to Safe Alternate Care Destinations

(Sacramento) - Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco), along with other lawmakers, law enforcement and emergency room workers came out in strong support of Assembly Bill 1795, which will allow paramedics to take some patients directly to an alternative care facility instead of to an overcrowded hospital emergency room. Specifically AB 1795 will permit paramedics to take individuals affected by mental health-related conditions or alcohol intoxication directly to a behavioral health facility or sobering center. “Much of this issue has to deal with how we are handling our homeless population. We have about 7,000 homeless people in San Francisco. On any given night, our paramedics are having to work with that population and help them get services,” Assemblymember Ting said “Allowing those with addictions and mental health issues to get care at sobering centers instead of emergency rooms provides them with more targeted care, but also saves critical county and state dollars.” To learn more, see this Assembly Access video.