The Orange County Emergency Medical Services Committee monitors
policies and procedures governing the Orange County Emergency
Medical Services (EMS) system and recommends related policy
positions to the HASC-OC Executive Board.
The Orange County CalOPTIMA Managed Care Committee monitors and
strives to influence CalOptima contracts and policies, and agency
actions affecting both contracted and non-contracted hospitals;
maintains communications with CalOptima staff and board members
to develop and advocate creative solutions to identified issues;
interfaces with the Board of Supervisors to influence governance
and scope decisions affecting CalOptima; nominates appointees to
the hospital seat on the CalOptima Board and the hospital seat on
the CalOptima Provider Advisory Committee.
The Behavioral Health Services Committee of Orange County
identifies access to care and system improvement issues for
patients needing behavioral health services; advocates for
adequate funding for the care of unfunded 5150 patients;
maintains relationships with the County Behavioral Health
Services Department; and strives to collaborate with the
Department to address identified issues; advocates for funding
and system improvements with the Board of Supervisors.
HASC is advocating for more efficient care for patients
experiencing mental health crises in Orange County. Like
emergency departments (EDs) across the country, Orange County
facilities were not designed to provide thoughtful therapeutic
treatment for individuals in psychiatric crisis. A first quarter
survey of the 24 hospitals with EDs showed that thousands of
patients with behavioral health issues spent nearly four times
longer in the EDs than patients with medical emergencies.
Orange County Executive Board formulates and carries out the HASC
local public policy agenda in Orange County. All HASC member
CEOs, along with other appointed member representatives, serve as
members of the HASC-OC Executive Board. Three committees
work in conjunction with the HASC-OC Executive Board: the
Behavioral Health Services (BHS) Committee, Emergency Medical
Services (EMS) Committee and the CalOPTIMA Managed Care
(CMC) Committee.
The Orange County area office represents many types of health
care facilities: general acute care, specialty pediatric, general
acute care with behavioral health, acute rehabilitation,
long-term acute care and an academic medical center. There is no
county-owned hospital.
Orange County covers 789 square miles and has a population of
over 3 million people. There are approximately 6,600 licensed
hospital beds.