TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
Bruce Moe, City Manager
FROM:
Robert Espinosa, Fire Chief
George Gabriel, Management Analyst
SUBJECT:Title
Request by Mayor Howorth to Discuss Assembly Bill 1795 Authorizing a Local Emergency Medical Services Agency to Allow Paramedics to Transport People to a Community Care Facility (Fire Chief Espinosa).
DISCUSS AND PROVIDE DIRECTION
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Recommended Action
RECOMMENDATION:
At the request of Mayor Howorth, staff recommends that City Council discuss and provide direction on submitting a letter to support, oppose, or take no position on Assembly Bill (AB) 1795 (Gipson).
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FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
There are no fiscal implications associated with the recommended action.
BACKGROUND:
AB 1795 was introduced to the California State Legislature on January 9, 2018 by California Assemblymember Mike A. Gipson (D-Carson).
AB 1795 authorizes local emergency medical services agencies to allow paramedics to transport people to a community care facility, such as a mental health urgent care center or sobering facility. The bill also authorizes local medical services agencies to add community paramedicine to its scope of practice activities necessary for the assessment, treatment, and transport of a patient to a community care facility upon receiving approval from the State Emergency Medical Services Authority.
Under current California State law, only law enforcement personnel are allowed to transport intoxicated patients or patients experiencing mental health episodes to sobering centers or mental health urgent care centers. However, paramedics and Emergency Medical Technicians are barred from doing so by the California Health and Safety Code and must transport intoxicated patients or patients experiencing mental health care episodes to county approved emergency departments.
Proponents of the legislation contend that a patient who is transporte...
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