SHASTA COUNTY, California — Representatives from the Shasta County Health and Human Services Agency are working to address mental health treatment for the community.
County staff members have been participating in The PADs Project Pilot Program since 2021. Shasta County is one of seven participating counties in California.
Implements psychiatric advance directives, which are self-directed plans with a person’s specific instructions or preferences regarding future mental health treatment.
Ashley Saechao, Shasta County Mental Health Services Act Coordinator, told us that peer support specialists are included in the program to help guide people through completing these treatment plans.
“We want to improve patient care and provide a humanized approach,” said Saechao. “We want to build community capacity among first responders, people with mental health issues, as well as mental health care providers and others, to ensure collaborative decision-making.”
Saechao said Shasta County administrators have created a standardized template for PADs, in addition to receiving feedback from working groups and creating a user-friendly and secure online platform dedicated to the project.
She told us they have also been working on legislative and policy advocacy, trying to ensure that PADs have a stronger voice in California. The goal is to get all 58 counties in the state involved in the program.
The PADs program will be launched in Shasta County in 2025.
The project is targeted at adults ages 18 and older. Anyone seeking more information can contact Saechao by email at [email protected] or visit www.padsca.org.
