Shasta County, California — Representatives from the Shasta County Health and Human Services Department are working to address mental health treatment in the area.
County officials PADs Project Pilot Program Starting in 2021. Shasta County is one of seven participating counties in California.
It implements a psychiatric advance directive, which is a self-directive plan that lists an individual’s specific instructions and wishes regarding future mental health treatment.
Shasta County Mental Health Services Act Coordinator Ashley Saechao said peer support specialists are included in the program to help people complete these treatment plans.
“We want to improve patient care and provide a human approach,” Saechao said. “We want to build community capacity between emergency personnel, people with mental illnesses, mental health care providers and others to ensure collaboration in decision-making.”
Saechao said Shasta County officials developed a standardized template for the PAD, got feedback from the working group and then created an easy-to-use, secure online platform dedicated to the project.
She said she is also working on legislation and policy advocacy to give PAD a stronger voice in California, with the goal of getting all 58 counties in the state to participate in the program.
The PADs program is expected to launch in Shasta County in 2025.
The project is aimed at adults over the age of 18. For more information, contact Saechao via email at [email protected] or visit www.padsca.org.
