A Commitment to Mental Health: Pacifica Hospital of the Valley offers Southern California Care
Pacifica Hospital of the Valley (PHV) is a 231- bed safety net hospital located in Los Angeles County. The hospital serves 13 zip codes and includes subacute patient referrals from hospitals 400-plus miles away. PHV offers complete service lines including: 24-hour emergency services; acute care; ICU; behavioral health; medicine and surgeries (with or without COVID-19); a subacute skilled nursing facility; outpatient surgery and rehab; and additional in- and outpatient services.
The primary population at PHV is the underserved, with 84% of the hospital’s patients living in poverty. In an article published by Becker’s Hospital Review this April, PHV was listed at number 10 nationwide among U.S. hospitals with the highest share of patients on Medicaid, with 81% of their patients enrolled in the program. Since the start of the pandemic in January 2020, Pacifica Hospital of the Valley has weathered multiple surges of the disease, treating hundreds of COVID-19 patients.
During that time of uncertainty, no playbook existed on how to navigate through such a challenging period. PHV responded to the statewide call to action and increased our bed capacity from seven to 66 to service COVID-19 patients. As a result, during the height of the pandemic, PHV was identified by the state as a regional COVID-19 Surge Site to help decompress other Southern California hospitals during these multiple times of crisis.
During the peak of the last COVID-19 surge at the beginning of 2021, the hospital greenlit a new program in partnership with the Department of Mental Health to provide 26 beds for acute level patients who have behavioral health issues as their primary medical diagnosis. This new program services those patients with or without COVID-19. Referrals for this patient population continue to increase, and with our collaborative efforts with the Department of Mental Health, the program has been highly successful in meeting the needs of mental health patients.
PHV has over 25 years of experience in behavioral health, and their staff is passionate about supporting and successfully providing services and while continuing to expand services for this growing population. In an effort to continue to support and service the mental health needs in the community, a behavioral health urgent care center was launched this September in collaboration with the Department of Mental Health. This new line of service offers crisis stabilization for
the adolescent and adult population. PHV’s level of service is unparalleled and their medical staff partners with our administrative team to reach the highest standard of care. This commitment falls in line with Pacifica Hospital of the Valley’s mission of healing our community with H.E.A.R.T.