Resources Center
NCPS provides the following information to the general public to assist them in answering their questions about mental health issues and mental healthcare. The links are provided as a convenience and do not imply endorsement. NCPS is not responsible for content provided on websites hosted by organizations outside NCPS and does not guarantee the accuracy of the information they contain.
California January 1, 2022 Electronic Prescribing Mandate for All Prescribers
California AB 2789 specifically requires prescribers to employ electronic prescribing for all prescriptions and requires pharmacies to be equipped to receive said electronic prescriptions by January 1, 2022.
Many of our private and solo practice members are concerned with navigating and understanding the barrage of information, lack of practice admin or IT support, associated costs, etc.
on August 31, 2022, NCPS hosted an eRX Risk Management and Preparation webinar, with a presentation from the American Professional Agency, Inc. and Allied World risk management group and the Deputy Director of Digital Health at the APA, Nathan Tatro, MA. The webinar defined the legislation and requirements for compliance in California, reviewed the benefits, potential risks and best practices associated with e-prescribing, dicussed features of e-prescribing systems with questions to ask software vendors, and risk management strategies to apply in order to reduce the potential liability when e-prescribing. The APA shared resources and inforamtion available on their Practice Management page for e-prescribing. You may view this webinar on-demand HERE. ng
To view the Risk Management Slide Deck, Click HERE.
To view the APA Resources Slide Deck, Click HERE.
To view an NCPS Resource Document, including member recommended e-prescribing vendors and next steps to get signed up, Click HERE.
Please stay tuned as NCPS connects with vendors specializing in stand-alone, intuitive, and cost effective e-prescribing systems and gets trainings scheduled for step-by-step sign up and implementation of software.
If you have questions, please reach out to NCPS administration at info@ncps.org. info@ncps.org
Cal Fire 2020: https://www.fire.ca.gov/
California Fire Safe Council: https://cafiresafecouncil.org/current-wildfires/
California Fire Weather: https://www.wrh.noaa.gov/fire2/cafw/
University of California Cooperative Extention: Fire in California: https://ucanr.edu/sites/fire/Safety/Current/
US Forest Service: https://fsapps.nwcg.gov/
National Interagency Fire Center: https://www.nifc.gov/fireInfo/nfn.htm
COPING STRATEGIES
The Northern California Psychiatric Society and the American Psychiatric Association recommend following these steps for coping in the days following a traumatic event:
- Keep informed about new information and developments, but avoid overexposure to news rebroadcasts of the tragedy. Be sure to use credible information sources to avoid speculation and rumors.
- If you feel upset, you are not alone. Common reactions to trauma include anxiety, depression, irritability, difficulty sleeping, isolating yourself from others and increased use of alcohol and tobacco to manage your emotions. Talk to friends, family or peers who likely are experiencing the same feelings.
- If you have contact with children, keep open dialogues with them regarding their fears of danger. Talk about your ability to cope with tragedy and get through the ordeal.
- Feelings of fear, sadness and anger following a traumatic event are natural and may persist for days or much longer. You may want to seek psychiatric care if you or your child are having increasing problems at home, work or school, using more alcohol, or experiencing symptoms that don’t get better after a few days.
MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES
- California Department of Mental Health - can assist individuals with mental health issues that may arise due to the evacuations. Call 1-800-896-4042 or visit: (http://www.dhcs.ca.gov/services/Pages/MentalHealthPrograms-Svcs.aspx)
- Red Cross - Licensed mental health workers willing to offer pro bono services to fire victims can call (571) 226-8183.
- Disaster Distress Helpline’s toll-free number (1-800-985-5990) and receive immediate counseling. This free, confidential, and multilingual crisis support service is also available via SMS (text TalkWithUs to 66746) to anyone experiencing psychological distress as a result of this event. People who call and text are connected to trained and caring professionals from crisis counseling centers in the network. The Helpline staff provides confidential counseling, referrals, and other needed support services.
- Sonoma County Behavioral Health - (707) 565-6900 or (800) 870-8786
- The SAMHSA Disaster App allows disaster behavioral health responders to navigate resources related to pre-deployment preparation, on-the-ground assistance, and post-deployment resources. Users can also share resources from the app via text message or email and quickly identify local behavioral health services. http://store.samhsa.gov/apps/disaster
- The National Child Traumatic Stress Network has developed resources to help families and communities. These resources include
- Parent Guidelines for Helping Children Impacted by Wildfires
- En Español
- Wildfires: Tips for Parents on Media Coverage
- En Español
- Simple Activities for Children During Evacuations or When Playing Outside is Restricte
- Helping Young Children with Traumatic Grief: Tips for Caregivers
- Helping School-Age Children with Traumatic Grief: Tips for Caregivers
- Helping Teens with Traumatic Grief: Tips for Caregivers
- Strategies to Manage Challenges for EMS and Other First Responder Families
- Psychological First Aid (PFA) (in English, Spanish and multiple other languages)
COVID-19 VACCINATION NEWS & INFORMATION BY STATE, COUNTY AND INSTITUTION *
* we will add information as it becomes available
Center for Disease Control Vaccine Information
Center for Disease Control for Healthcare Professionals - Vaccine Information
STATE VACCINE INFORMATION
California State Website: Vaccinate ALL 58: vaccinations in all 58 California Counties (Regularly Updated)
California State: Healthcare Workers FAQ's
CDPH Vaccine Allocation Guidelines During Phase 1A (12/5/2020)
CDPH: Workgroup Principles and Criteria Phase 1A
CMA Vaccine Information
CMA County/Component Medical Society Listing
San Francisco Provider Guidance - COVID-19 Vaccination
San Francisco Marin Medical Society Information
COUNTY VACCINE INFORMATION
Alameda County Vaccine Information
Contra Costa County Vaccine Information
- Eligible healthcare professional who live or work in CC County may schedule a vaccination appointment
Vaccine Appointment Request Form
Del Norte County Vaccine Information
Humboldt County Vaccine Information
Marin County Vaccine Information
- register and self-schedule vaccinations for you and/or your staff at a vaccination center via PrepMod.
CLICK HERE for PrepMod FAQ
Mendocino County Vaccine Information
Monterey County Vaccine Information
Napa County Vaccine Information
San Benito County Vaccine Information
San Francisco County Vaccine Information
San Luis Obispo County Vaccine Information
San Mateo County Vaccine Information
- Survey to self-identify as a qualified provider for Phase 1A vaccination queue
SM County Vaccination Survey
Santa Clara County Vaccine Information
- County survey to attest you are eligible in Phase 1A
SC County Eligibility Survey
Santa Cruz County Vaccine Information
Solano County Vaccine Information
Sonoma County Vaccine Information
Trinity County Vaccine Information
INSTITUTION VACCINE INFORMATION
Kaiser Northern California Vaccine Information
UCSF Vaccine Information
Stanford Vaccine Information
Below are links to infomation and resources from national, state and local health organizations & institutions, as well as the latest on telemedicine, HIPPA, and billing information and instructions, to help you stay up-to-date and safe in this unique and difficult time. This page will be updated continually as information comes in. If there is anything missing or that you think should be included, please send it to info@ncps.org.
Beware of COVID-19 Scams: Consumers and healthcare facilities are being targeted by scammers posting as representatives of CDC, DEA, WHO or Medical Boards and asking for personal information, donations, etc. Click on resources below explaing in more detail:
https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/pubs/pressreleases/extortion_scam.htm
https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/features/coronavirus-scams-what-ftc-doing
APA INFORMATION & RESOURCES
APA COVID-19 Resource Center - https://www.psychiatry.org/psychiatrists/covid-19-coronavirus - continually updated
TELEHEALTH, HIPAA & BILLING
Elsevier COVID-19 Healthcare Hub - Toolkits for Healthcare Professionals - CLICK HERE
FCC COVID-10 Telehealth Program: https://www.fcc.gov/ - continually updated
Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) - The latest regarding state licensure during COVID-19: https://www.fsmb.org/ - continually updated
California Department of Insurance - COVID-19 Updates - continually updated
CMS COVID-19 Updates: https://www.cms.gov/ - continually updated
CMA COVID-19 Udates: https://www.cmadocs.org/ - continually updated
Calif. DHCS COVID-19 Updates: https://www.dhcs.ca.gov/ - continually updated
Health & Human Services COVID-19 Updates: https://www.hhs.gov/ - continually updated
DEA COVID-19 Updates: https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/index.html - continually updated
FDA COVID-19 Updates: https://www.fda.gov/ - continually updated
CSAM Medicare Reimbursement & OTP Guidance - https://www.asam.org/advocacy/practice-resources/coronavirus-resources
CSAM Medicare/Telemedicine Provider Fact Sheet - https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/medicare-telemedicine-health-care-provider-fact-sheet
SAMHSA Opioid Treatment Program Guidance and FAQs - https://www.samhsa.gov/medication-assisted-treatment
An Important Telehealth Message from NCPS Ethics Chair
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS & PRACTICES
FCC COVID-19 Telehealth Program - https://www.fcc.gov/covid-19-telehealth-program
HSS CARES Act Provider Relief Fund - https://www.hhs.gov/provider-relief/index.html
CMS Accelerated and Advance Payment Program Fact Sheet - https://www.cms.gov/files/document/accelerated-and-advanced-payments-fact-sheet.pdf
Private Practice COVID-19 Economic Survival Resource Page (created and provided by member): https://sites.google.com/view/privatepracticemdsfbaysbalinks/
SELF CARE RESOURCES
- Heal San Francisco Press Release - Expanded Mental Health Support for Health Care Workers: https://healsanfrancisco.org/
- NCPS Resource Group - Confidential FREE hotline or contact a committee member directly: https://ncps.org/sites/ncps.org/files/NCPS%20Resource%20Group%20Hotline.%20Contacts.pdf
- Shields for Medical Staff - Resources
LBuilds.com
https://www.matterhackers.com/covid-19
- FREE Webinar: Reducing Stress and Restoring Hope - April 2, 2020
- APAF Center for Workplace Mental Health: http://workplacementalhealth.org/Employer-Resources/Working-Remotely-During-COVID-19?utm_source=MEM&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=COVID-19
- Coronavirus and Mental Health: Taking Care of Ourselves During Infectious Disease Outbreaks
- COVID-19 Mental Health Impacts: Resources for Psychiatrists
- CDC Managing Anxiety & Stress
- Sustaining Well-being of Healthcare Personnel
- Volunteer to Provide Pro Bono Counseling for Front-line Healthcare Workers Facing COVID-19: Bay Area Project: CLICK HERE for more information
- FREE Coloring Book for Healers: Stress Relieving Designs, Quotes and Affirmations - Co-authored by NCPS Member, Ronald Holt, DO
- How to Deal with Stress in College During Covid-19 Guide - Study.com
NATIONAL GOVERNMENT & OTHER ORGANIZATIONS
Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education: Stage 3 Pandemic Emergency Status Guidance - https://acgme.org/COVID-19/Stage-3-Pandemic-Emergency-Status-Guidance
HRSA Federal Funding Resources: https://www.hrsa.gov/coronavirus
Centers for Disease Control (CDC) - https://www.cdc.gov/
US Identification of Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce During COVID-19 - https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/publications/CISA-Guidance-on-Essential-Critical-Infrastructure-Workers-1-20-508c.pdf
AMA Phsyician's Guide to COVID-19
AMA COVID-19 FAQ's
AAAP COVID-19 Updates - https://www.aaap.org/
Medscape Psychiatry COVID-19 Resource Center: https://www.medscape.com/resource/coronavirus
AACAP Resource Library: https://www.aacap.org/coronavirus
STATE GOVERNMENT & OTHER ORGANIZATIONS
Daily Live Briefings from Governor Newsom at 12:00 noon via Twitter @CAgovernor and via California Governor Facebook page
Office of Governor Gavin Newsom - https://www.gov.ca.gov/category/press-releases/
Office of Governor Gavin Newsom: Latest Action Items At-a-Glance - Continually Updated - https://www.gov.ca.gov/california-takes-action-to-combat-covid-19/
California Governor calls on ALL who have background in health: https://covid19.ca.gov/healthcorps/
CMA link to latest news, information and resources - https://www.cmadocs.org/
California Department of Public Health (CDPH) - https://www.cdph.ca.gov/
LOCAL/REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS & INSTITUTIONS
Heal San Francisco Press Release - Expanded Mental Health Support for Health Care Workers: https://healsanfrancisco.org/
Volunteer to Provide Pro Bono Counseling for Front-line Healthcare Workers Facing COVID-19: Bay Area Project: CLICK HERE for more information
San Francisco City/County: https://sf.gov/
San Francisco Mayor, London Breed: https://sfmayor.org/
San Francisco Department of Public Health - https://www.sfdph.org/dph/default.asp
San Francisco Department of Public Health: Masking Guidelines for High Risk Patients & Staff
Stanford University -https://healthalerts.stanford.edu/
University of California San Francisco - https://www.ucsf.edu/coronavirus
San Mateo Medical Center - https://www.smchealth.org/coronavirus
California Pacific Medical Center - https://www.sutterhealth.org/for-patients/health-alerts/2019-novel-coronavirus
Kaiser Permanente, San Jose - https://healthy.kaiserpermanente.org/alerts/p1/2019-novel-coronavirus-feb-2020
Kaiser Permanente, Oakland - https://healthy.kaiserpermanente.org/northern-california/alerts/p1/2019-novel-coronavirus-feb-2020
RISK MANAGEMENT
- American Professional Agency, Inc Resources
- Professional Risk Management Services Resources
- An Important Telehealth Message from NCPS Ethics Chair
Common Mental Health Issues
For information regarding many common mental health issues please see the website http://www.healthyminds.org. At this site individuals can search by specific mental health issue, population subgroup and do a general search. The site was created the American Psychiatric Association (APA).
APA Well-being & Physician Burnout Resources
For resources on the APA website, go to: https://www.psychiatry.org/psychiatrists/practice/well-being-and-burnout/well-being-resources
National Alliance on Mental Illness
NAMI offers free, volunteer-driven support for families of patients suffering from mental illness. It is a good grassroots organization where people can find out valuable information without having to see a psychiatrist. NAMI oftentimes has psychiatrists (sometimes NCPS members) speak to them at their monthly meetings. These meetings are free to the public and a good example of the kind of information NAMI provides
- NAMI California
- Tel: 916-567-0163
- http://www.namicalifornia.org
- San Francisco NAMI
- Tel: 415-905-6264
- http://www.namisf.org
Medicare
Patients with Medi-Care are experiencing difficulties when trying to find a psychiatrist. While none of our members currently accept Medicare in private practice the following are a list of resources that should help in finding a physician accepting Medicare.
- California Health Advocates is a non-profit dedicated to Medicare advocacy and education for Californians. http://www.cahealthadvocates.org
- California Government website specifically for Medi-Cal http://www.medi-cal.ca.gov
- At the Official US Government Site for Medicare patients can search for doctors accepting Medicare. The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Servies is open 24 hour a day 7 days a week. Telephone: 1-800-633-4227 Website: https://www.medicare.gov
County Health Services
County Health Services are the best resource for patients who are using Medi-Cal or Medi-Cal insurance to cover the cost for mental health services. Almost every county has a county hospital (and several clinics) where Medi-Cal patients can be seen. County Health Services are also a good place to start for patients using other types of health insurance. To see a list of contact information for Northern California Counties please click here.
Affiliated Associations
American Psychiatric Association: the national organization representing psychiatry.
Tel: 888-357-7924
http://www.psychiatry.org/
California State Association of Psychiatrists: the state lobbying organization of NCPS
Administered by Shaw Yoder Antwih Schmelzer & Lange
https://ncps.org/advocacy/state-advocacy
Lobbyist, Paul Yoder: Paul@SYASLpartners.com
Other District Branches of the APA in California
Central California Psychiatric Society
Tel: 888 234-1613
https://cencalpsych.org/
Orange County Psychiatric Society
Tel: (714) 978-3016
www.ocps.org
San Diego Psychiatric Society
Tel: 858-279-4586
www.sandiegopsychiatricsociety.org
Southern California Psychiatric Society
Tel: (310) 815-3650
www.socalpysch.org
Mission
To advance the quality and effectiveness of psychiatric care through advocacy, professional education and camaraderie.
Contact Us
info@ncps.org
(415) 334-2418
(415) 239-2533
77 Van Ness, Suite 101, #2022
San Francisco, CA 94102