Program Description:

Target Population:

All clients served are recipients of mental services residing in Napa County.

Location and Hours of Operation:

The Patients' Rights Advocacy and Training program for Napa County is operated by Mental Health Consumer Concerns whose administrative offices are located at 1420 Willow Pass Road, Suite 120, Concord. Clients seeking advocacy services can contact an advocate on duty from 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.. Monday through Friday. Our office also maintains a 24-hour, 7-day-a-week telephone answering machine which accepts collect calls.

Staff members provide advocacy services to mental health clients admitted to St. Helena Hospital, Napa State Hospital (hearing representation only), residents of Licensed Residential Care Facilities, clients enrolled in the various mental health treatment programs throughout Napa County, as well as to clients living within the community.

Description of Services:

Patients' Rights Advocates provide the following services:

Investigate complaints received from mental health clients, their responsible relative or other interested parties regarding abuse, denial or punitive withholding of patients' rights guaranteed under the California Code of Regulations Section 861.

Provide information and referral services including distribution of patients' rights posters and handbooks in the predominant languages of the community which are posted or given to patients upon admission to the hospital.

Monitor the establishment and use by each designated facility of a procedure for notifying incoming patients/residents of their rights (WIC Section 5325 and California Code of Regulations (CCR) Section 860) in a language, medium or modality accessible to the patient/resident and report any violations to County's Mental Health Director or his/her designee. Monitor each designated facility to determine that it provides individuals detained on 72-hour holds with the information required under WIC Section 5157, and that such notification is properly documented; and reporting any violations to County's Mental Health Director or his/her designee.

Monitor each designated facility to determine whether each patient/resident is also given notification, in a language, medium or modality accessible to the patient/resident of other relevant constitutional and statutory rights. Ensure that the List of Rights for patients/residents specified by the State Department of Mental Health remains posted in all facilities where posting is required pursuant to California Code of Regulations Section 860 and ensure that all incoming patients/residents are notified of these rights.

Monitor Mental Health facilities, services and programs for compliance with statutory and regulatory provisions. Conduct trainings for mental health professionals regarding patients' rights laws and regulations.

In performing the above services, Advocates must take action to investigate complaints regarding patients' rights violations within two working days. All complaints not resolved within five working days are referred to the County's Mental Health Director or his/her designee. Complaints which cannot be resolved at the local level are referred to the State Office of Patients' Rights.

Linkages and Coordination with Other Community Agencies:

Staff members work in cooperation with other advocates, attorneys, and mental health organizations throughout California which enables them to keep continuously informed of the latest developments in the fields of patients' rights and mental health. Advocates participate in the Bay Area Patients' Advocacy Coalition and the California Association of Mental Health Patients' Rights Advocates. The State Office of Patients' Rights as well as Protection & Advocacy, Inc. provide legal and technical support to patients' rights staff.