Patients with mental health and substance-use disorders are commonly seen in general hospitals. The behavioral health disorder may be a patient’s primary diagnosis, or it may be a co-morbid condition accompanying a physical health disorder, such as diabetes, cancer or coronary artery disease.

Mental illnesses are extremely common, affecting almost every family in California, from every background and of all ages. More than 2 million children, adults and seniors in California are affected by a potentially disabling mental illness every year. Generally speaking, a danger of suicide, harm to self, harm to others or being gravely disabled qualify an individual for acute psychiatric care.

Statewide, there are approximately 6,000 inpatient psychiatric beds in 140 hospitals supporting a population of more than 36 million people. Many hospitals providing inpatient acute psychiatric care also provide intensive outpatient programs, among other treatments.

Whether hospitals do or do not provide organized behavioral health services, they must be prepared to address issues arising from patients with mental health and substance-use disorders. California hospitals providing acute psychiatric in patient care are committed to the delivery of responsive, accountable and clinically effective prevention, treatment and care for children, adolescents and adults with mental and substance-use disorders.

CHA’s Center for Behavioral Health focuses on legislation, policy and advocacy on behalf of freestanding psychiatric and chemical-dependency hospitals, as well as general acute-care units.