October 17, 2023
LACDMH Public Information Office
(213) 738-3700
pio@dmh.lacounty.gov
Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health Receives Quality and Productivity Commission’s Top Ten and Mega Million Dollar Awards
LOS ANGELES — This year, the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (LACDMH) is receiving two prestigious awards from the County of Los Angeles’ Quality and Productivity Commission (QPC) which recognizes innovative programs and efficiency in the delivery of services to the communities and residents served.
The QPC named LACDMH’s Alternative Crisis Response (ACR) Initiative as this year’s Mega Million Dollar Award winner and also named it as one of the recipients of the Top Ten Awards; the ten recipients are all eligible for the top three placements of Gold, Silver, or Bronze Eagle Awards. Winners of these three coveted awards will be announced at the 36th Annual Productivity and Quality Awards Program at the Music Center on Wednesday, October 18, 2023. Click here for the livestream of the ceremony which will begin at 11:20 a.m. with award presentations set for 12:20 p.m.
ACR provides an alternative response to law enforcement when interacting with individuals who are experiencing a mental health crisis. “Through ACR, County residents have 24/7 access to rapid, alternative crisis response services delivered by civilian, non-law enforcement providers,” said Dr. Lisa H. Wong, LACDMH Director. “ACR is comprised of the 9-8-8 Call Center, mobile crisis teams dispatched for in-person response where the individual in crisis feels most comfortable, and a network of non-hospital crisis facilities and treatment programs.”
Created in June 2020 as part of the Board of Supervisors’ Care First, Jails Last initiative, the goal of ACR has been to divert calls from 9-1-1 to 9-8-8, thereby reducing law enforcement interaction and incarceration, decreasing emergency room visits and hospitalization, and increasing a more equitable mental health outcome.
Of the 5,000 calls and texts made to 9-8-8 each month, 95% are safely resolved over the phone. Additionally, of the nearly 1,500 mental health mobile crisis teams dispatched each month, at least 92% can be resolved without law enforcement involvement of any kind. This has resulted in cost avoidance of approximately $70 million dollars.
For more information about ACR, please visit the LACDMH website at dmh.lacounty.gov/acr.
About The Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (LACDMH)
As the nation’s largest public mental health department, we ensure access to care and treatment for our most vulnerable residents in a region with more than 10 million people. With an annual budget approaching $3B and a committed staff of 6,000, LACDMH embodies a “heart-forward” approach to supporting hope, recovery and well-being across the County. For more information, visit dmh.lacounty.gov or follow @LACDMH on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.