Pac-12 rewind: USC escapes, Colorado survives in riveting Week 6 as a showdown awaits

• October 8, 2023

Recapping the best and worst of the Pac-12 action …

Theme of the week: Drama

With only four games and no matchups involving ranked teams, the seventh Saturday of the Pac-12 season did not have the look of the most dramatic thus far, but it delivered a series of riveting affairs. Only one of the four games was decided by double digits (Oregon State over Cal), and each of the other three was in doubt with two minutes remaining. We figured it would be difficult to top Colorado’s late escape in Tempe — the Buffaloes kicked the game-winning field goal with 12 seconds left — but then USC-Arizona happened. And it was glorious mayhem.

Theme of the week II: Plot twists

Who figured UCLA would hold WSU’s high-scoring offense to 10 points. Or that USC would manage just 28 points in regulation (about half its season average) against Arizona. Or that ASU quarterback Trenton Bourguet would throw for 100 yards more than Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders. Or that Arizona freshman quarterback Noah Fifita would play as well as USC’s Caleb Williams. Or that Cal would score 40 points, rush for more than 200 yards and lose by double digits. Week 6 was loaded with the unexpected.

Game of the week: USC 43, Arizona 41 

To this point, USC’s triple-overtime escape stands as the game of the year in the conference. The Trojans trailed 17-0 before finding their rhythm offensively and led 28-20 midway through the fourth quarter. But they couldn’t hold the advantage, then bungled a game-winning, 25-yard field goal in the final seconds of regulation. It took Caleb Williams’ amazing feats, and feet, to escape in the extra periods.

Game of the week II: Colorado 27, Arizona State 24

A sloppy affair filled with sputtering offense ended in pulsating fashion when the Sun Devils went 94 yards in 13 plays for the game-tying touchdown with 50 seconds remaining. That was more than enough time for CU to respond as Shedeur Sanders completed a 43-yard pass that set up a 43-yard, game-winning field goal. The Buffaloes (4-2) are now two wins away from being bowl-eligible and host Stanford on Friday.

Coach of the week: Arizona’s Jedd Fisch

Fisch had the Wildcats ready to play emotionally, and perfectly prepared tactically, in their final scheduled game against USC. The balanced playcalling (42 runs, 35 passes) put freshman quarterback Noah Fifita in positions to succeed and kept USC’s defense guessing. The defensive gameplan was top-notch, as well. Arizona’s three losses this season (to Mississippi State, Washington and USC) have come by a total of 16 points.

Coordinator of the week: UCLA’s De’Anton Lynn

The first-year defensive strategist made maximum use of his extra week to prepare for WSU’s high-octane attack. Lynn unveiled a defensive front in which at least two, and sometimes all three players were in standing positions. The unblockable Bruins forced four turnovers, held WSU’s offense to one touchdown and limited quarterback Cam Ward to 197 yards passing. The Cougars never did figure it out.

Quote of the week I: Arizona’s Fisch

The third-year coach addressed what is typically a verboten topic among coaches, the point spread, following the overtime defeat at USC. “I think the 21-point underdog stuff has got to probably come to an end here soon,” Fisch said. Savvy gamblers hope he’s wrong, because there is money to be made on the Wildcats until the betting lines adjust to the on-field reality.

Quote of the week II: Cal coach Justin Wilcox

After his team allowed Oregon State to score 52 points and gain 499 yards, Wilcox offered the following:  “We’ll find out where the defenders are come next week, because boy — and this is not taking anything away from Oregon State because I really do think those guys do a great job coaching — but, man, ooh, that was bad defense right there by us.”

Offensive player of the week: Oregon State’s DJ Uiagalelei

The transfer quarterback had his best game as a Beaver (especially considering the competition), throwing for five touchdowns and completing 76 percent of his passes against what is typically a well-coached defense. And critically, Uiagalelei did not throw an interception, which separated him from other players we considered for the OPOW honors.

Offensive player of the week (non-QB edition): Arizona’s Jacob Cowing

The senior receiver hauled in 10 catches for 88 yards and four touchdowns against USC, including two scores in overtime. He’s now tied for third nationally in touchdown catches with eight and tied for fifth in receptions with 46. Also considered: UCLA tailback Carson Steele, Oregon State receiver Anthony Gould and ASU receiver Elijhah Badger.

Defensive players of the week: UCLA’s line

It’s not often that the Hotline honors an entire unit, but the Bruins’ defensive front was magnificent from the first snap to the last, often generating pressure with just three rushers. Gabriel Murphy and Laiatu Latu generated much of the chaos but were hardly alone. (Carl Jones Jr. had four tackles and a QB hurry.). A few hours later and several miles across town, Arizona’s line submitted a first-rate effort of its own.

Stat of the week: Washington State

The Cougars converted 60 percent of their third-down opportunities through the first four games of the season, tops in the nation. But they managed just two conversions in 13 attempts Saturday in the Rose Bowl.

Stat of the season: USC

The Trojans finished the first half with a 6-0 mark against teams that have a combined record of 10-24. The record of their next six foes: 26-7.

Stat of the decade: Oregon State

As the existential crisis looms in the background, the Beavers (5-1) have produced their best start since 2013, when they opened 6-1 before slamming into a five-game losing streak. Their next four games: UCLA at home, Arizona and Colorado on the road, then Stanford at home.

Scramble of the season: Cal

The Bears started their third different quarterback, freshman Fernando Mendoza, in an attempt to jump-start a struggling offense. Mendoza had one career pass attempt prior to Saturday but played reasonably well with 200 yards passing and two touchdowns. Justin Wilcox’s program has now played 1.5 seasons since Chase Garber’s departure and has yet to achieve stability at the most important position.

Game of next week: Oregon at Washington

ESPN’s ‘College GameDay’ will be on hand as the bitter rivals collide. It’s the third time the popular studio show has made the trek to Montlake and the first time in series history that both teams will carry top-10 rankings into the game. The Huskies are an early 3-point favorite. Our preference for guest picker: UW alum Rainn Wilson. Maybe he can serve Kirk Herbstreit and the ‘GameDay’ crew some beets from Schrute Farms.

*** Send suggestions, comments and tips (confidentiality guaranteed) to [email protected] or call 408-920-5716

*** Follow me on Twitter: @WilnerHotline

*** Pac-12 Hotline is not endorsed or sponsored by the Pac-12 Conference, and the views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the views of the Conference.

​ Orange County Register 

Live updates: Rams vs. Philadelphia Eagles

• October 8, 2023

Follow along for live updates from Rams reporter Adam Grosbard before, during and after the Rams’ game against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Viewing on a mobile device? Click here

Tweets by AdamGrosbard https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

How the Rams’ ‘no-name defense’ has found early-season success https://t.co/oVcCfN36RN

— Adam Grosbard (@AdamGrosbard) October 7, 2023

​ Orange County Register 

Vigil to be held tonight at Los Angeles temple for Hamas attack victims

• October 8, 2023

A local vigil will be held Sunday night for victims of Saturday’s Hamas attack against Israel, which has claimed more than 600 lives, with dozens of Israelis being held hostage.

The “Vigil for Israel” is being co-sponsored by The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles and The Board of Rabbis of Southern California and is set for 8 p.m. at the Stephen Wise Temple, 15500 Stephen S. Wise Drive.

“Together we will pray, sing for, and honor the memory of the … innocent Israelis who have tragically been murdered and pray for peace and the safe return of those who have been kidnapped by Hamas terrorists,” organizers said in a statement.

The gathering will also be live streamed at wisela.org/Online/  More information is available at wise.shulcloud.com/event/LACommunityVigil.

Meanwhile, Los Angeles area police agencies have increased security and patrols around Jewish institutions in Los Angeles, Beverly Hills and Santa Monica following the attack.

Hamas is a Palestinian Sunni-Islamic fundamentalist group, founded in 1987, that disputes Israel’s right to territory in the West Bank.

Early Saturday, group forces fired thousands of rockets into Israel as dozens of Hamas fighters infiltrated several locations, catching the country off-guard as the weeklong Jewish festival of Sukkot, also known as the Feast of the Tabernacles, came to an end.

Israeli authorities said a second round of rockets were fired Saturday evening and struck multiple locations inside Israel, including in Tel Aviv.

In addition to the casualities, Israel said at least 100 of its soldiers and civilians were captured and taken to Gaza as hostages.

Israel retaliated early Sunday and observers estimate as many as 400 Palestinians have been killed in the retaliatory fighting, with thousands more wounded.

The fighting came on the 50th anniversary of the so-called “Yom Kippur War,” Oct 6-25, 1973, when Israel was attacked by a coalition of Arab states.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told his nation in a televised address Saturday, “We are at war. What happened (Saturday) has never been seen in Israel. We will take mighty vengeance for this black day.”

The Jewish Federation has decried the attacks and pledged its support for Israel.

“Once again, on a holy day of the Jewish calendar, Israelis have come under attack,” an organization statement said. “The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles stands in solidarity with our beloved homeland. We are working with our partners in Israel and across the globe to ensure the people of Israel have our full support and all necessary resources.

“Israel will prevail and the Jewish people will stand together — as we always do.”

The Federation set up an emergency fund to support the victims, which can be found at JewishLA.org/IsraelCrisis.

Students for Justice in Palestine at UCLA provided their perspective on the decades-long land dispute in a statement to City News Service:

“Students for Justice in Palestine at UCLA wish to stress that it is imperative to understand that Palestinians have suffered under occupation for decades, and resistance is a response to the daily violence, dehumanization, and colonization that Palestinians face.”

The Muslim Public Affairs Council echoed those sentiments in a statement Saturday in Washington, D.C.

“To truly understand what is happening, we must look to the source of the problem; an ongoing occupation in violation of international human rights law that has left the Palestinian people, in particular Gazans, stripped of their basic rights and human dignity,” the council said. “By actively, and often violently, preventing their pursuit of a self-defined identity, national autonomy, and global recognition, Israeli occupation and the world’s continued silence has offered Hamas and other groups the political vacuum needed to propel themselves into positions of leadership and justify their violent attacks.”

The U.S. State Department said U.S. citizens seeking to get in touch with the U.S. Embassy in Israel should visit cacms.state.gov/s/crisis-intake or call 888-407-4747.

​ Orange County Register 

Orange getting its second Goodwill, replacing a shuttered Big Lots

• October 8, 2023

Orange residents may have noticed there is new life coming to a vacant Big Lots in the same shopping center as Home Depot.

A temporary Goodwill poster hangs from the building at 1821 N Tustin St., where workers were seen moving in and out of the retail space.

Goodwill confirmed the store will open by December, marking the second retail shop for the nonprofit in the city.

The organization told the Register in September that it is on a 10-year expansion plan to double its footprint locally. It recently opened another new store in at 790 N. Brookhurst St. in Anaheim.

CEO Nicole Suydam said in a Sept. 1 story that Goodwill OC has a “bold goal” of growing to about 50 stores by the next decade.

The nonprofit operates 23 secondhand retail shops in the county, including five OC Goodwill Boutiques and its e-commerce platform ShopGoodwill.com.

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What are the most important lessons learned at later stages of life?

• October 8, 2023

In this stage of your life, what have you learned that is most important?  

This question was asked of eight men and seven women in mid to later life who have been coming together for the past 11 years to talk about subjects that matter regarding transition and change. The majority are retired; others are working part-time. All are or were highly accomplished in their respective fields including television, business, higher education, theater, science, technology, journalism, law, social services and nonprofit leadership, to name a few. The men belong to the Life Transition Group. The women belong to Renewment, a term that combines retirement and renewal. 

Here is some background to both groups. 

A number of years ago, Ron Dresher and Brian Harris, both long-time successful marketing professionals, went for a bike ride along the beach and began to talk about their next chapter in life – commonly referred to as retirement. Both were retiring from significant positions in business and advertising; both felt passionate about their work. They questioned what they would do with their energy and commitment when no longer working.  They felt motivated to become more knowledgeable and were ready to share experiences with others. Subsequently, they formed a group of like-minded men and called themselves the Life Transition Group and have been meeting for 16 years with monthly speakers as well as having informal topic-centered group discussions. They have over 35 members and two groups in the Los Angeles area.   

To establish balance in their lives and a new sense of identity, they developed some guiding principles using the acronym CHAIRS. Each letter stands for a value the men want to embrace as they emerge from their full-time careers. The letters stand for the following: C=Charity; H=Health; A=Achievement; I=Independence; R=Relationships and S=Spirituality

These characteristics are shared by women of Renewment, a forum and movement started by my co-founder Bernice Bratter and me in 1999. The Renewment women are like-minded with successful careers, wanting to create the next chapter of life to be equal to or even more satisfying than the previous one.  

It all started when Bernice called me after contemplating retirement from her second executive director position and asked if there was any research or programs focusing on career women and retirement.  I replied, “I don’t think so; in fact, we are not even on the radar screen.” A four-hour lunch followed when we decided to invite several like-minded women for dinner to discuss life post-career. That was a four-hour dinner.  

Given we had few if any role models, there was much to discuss and Renewment was born – a forum and movement that supports and inspires career women through transition and change, from work to retirement and beyond. These women also have or did have successful careers, wanting to create the next chapter of life to be equal to or even more satisfying than the previous one.  

Despite our lack of intention to grow, Renewment grew virally to nearly 40 in-person groups most in the Los Angeles area with some in New England down to Florida with most women still working and focusing on the transition to retirement. Some groups have been meeting for three years; others for 23 years.  

As the pandemic eliminated face-to-face meetings, we launched virtual Renewment roundtables to discuss subjects important to our life transitions such as having a sense of purpose, being relevant, defining a new meaning of productivity, relationships and changing identities in this new life stage as in, Who am I without my business card? Similar to the face-to-face meetings, the roundtables grew virally engaging over 100 women from across the country. Most are newly retired although some continue to work.   

Back to our joint meeting. As a participant in this meeting, I wanted to listen for possible gender differences regarding the learning experiences.   

Note we do know men and women have different communication styles according to Deborah Tannen, Distinguished University Professor in the Linguistics Department at Georgetown University. In her book, “You Just Don’t Understand: Women and Men in Conversation” (William Morrow, 2007), Tannen writes that for most women, the language of conversation is primarily a language of rapport; a way of establishing connections…” She writes men “tend to exhibit knowledge and skill” with an emphasis on reporting rather than rapport. Tannen’s writing gives us pause to acknowledge that men and women often have different communication styles and what each may consider important. Stay tuned next week for the important learnings of each group – and know a little bit of kindness goes a long way.  

Helen Dennis is a nationally recognized leader on issues of aging and the new retirement with academic, corporate and nonprofit experience. Contact Helen with your questions and comments at [email protected].  Visit Helen at HelenMdennis.com and follow her on facebook.com/SuccessfulAgingCommunity

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Wrong way to boost state transparency

• October 8, 2023

Transparent government is good government. But it has to be done the right way.

An incorrect way to achieve transparent government is the Government Transparency Act initiative submitted last month to the office of Attorney General Rob Bonta for a title and summary, after which signatures will be gathered. It is sponsored by Consumer Watchdog, a progressive consumer group. Consumer Watchdog is best known for sponsoring Proposition 103 in 1988, which increased state regulation of the insurance industry and made the insurance commissioner an elected position.

The proposed initiative declares California open-records laws “have been abused or weakened by legislators and government officials.” The legislators attend junkets in “exotic places” and collect money from “special interest donors behind closed doors.” And government agencies unreasonably limit searches for records on public officials.

To correct that, the initiative would require legislators to disclose meetings with lobbyists and fundraising events by special interest groups. And it would curb companies’ ability to file “preemptive lawsuits to deny access to public records.”

If the initiative merely proposed tightening public-records laws, it might be reasonable. Unfortunately, it also includes this clause in Section 3: “Allows the public to bring legal actions to address past violations of the law and to prevent threatened future actions that would undermine access to public records.”

That’s vague. And it reeks of lawsuits under the state’s Private Attorneys General Act.

Normally lawsuits against state employment laws are filed by the attorney general or a local district attorney. But PAGA allows private employees to file civil lawsuits against their own companies. According to Tom Manzo, the president and founder of the California Business and Industrial Alliance, a PAGA lawsuit on average costs the employer $1.1 million in total fees. The costs are passed on to customers, while giving businesses another reason to leave the state.

On the new initiative, Denise Davis of the California Chamber of Commerce told us the chamber won’t take position unless the initiative qualifies for the ballot, “But the precedent that it would set in terms of opening up retroactive lawsuits while limiting businesses ability to use the legal system is very troubling.”

The initiative is 29 pages long, with many dense sections difficult for voters to parse. There have been no public hearings in the Legislature, where experts and the general public can testify about potential effects. Granted, the initiative is aimed at a problem in the Legislature. But this really is something the Legislature itself should take up and examine at public hearings. When pressured by citizens, it actually can solve festering problems, as with workers’ compensation reforms in 2004 and 2012 to control rising costs to employers.

The initiative also doesn’t address one of the main reasons businesses lobby in the Capitol: to defend themselves against the immense number of unneeded regulations the Legislature already passed.

Consumer Watchdog ought to withdraw this initiative and refashion it without the problems we addressed above. Assuming, of course, its goal is simply to improve government transparency.

The Legislature also ought to reform lobbyist disclosure laws itself to head off this or similar efforts, while delivering meaningful transparency.

We encourage lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to do this, not for their own sake, but for the sake of Californians who deserve to know what their government and elected representatives are up to.

​ Orange County Register 

Columbus truly united the world

• October 8, 2023

Somebody eventually had to knit the whole world together. North and South. Eastern and Western Hemispheres. The person who launched that adventure was Christopher Columbus.

Critics will point out his many flaws. That the Native Americans didn’t need discovering, having come across the Bering Straits millennia before. That, five centuries earlier, Leif Ericson slipped over to North America and established Vinland. And maybe Chinese explorer Zeng He sailed to North America around 1405.

But for global interconnection, the key was, as the phrase has it, “In 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue.” Under sponsorship by monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain, the Nina, the Pinta and the Santa Maria began a new era of vast exploration of the world, first by Europeans, then by everybody. The first two ships were small, only 50 to 70 feet from bow to stern. The flagship Santa Maria was larger, at 117 feet. The Spanish crew of 86 sailed for 35 days. Imagine going out into the vast unknown, with limited provisions on small ships.

Of course, Columbus originally intended to reach “the Indies,” that is the Spice Islands in East Asia near Indonesia, when the Western Hemisphere got in the way. European sailors of that era were fascinated by the rich trading cities of Asia, which had been known from Marco Polo’s travels. Then, as the History Channel described it, “With the men close to mutiny against their ‘foreign’ captain, Columbus was about to turn back when the cry went out at 2 a.m. on October 12 that land had been sighted.”

Yes, there followed colonialism, exploitation of the natives and soon the African slave trade across the Atlantic. Although a great sailor, Columbus proved to be a terrible political administrator of Hispaniola. But mature people can separate the flawed man from his achievements.

As biographer Samuel Eliot Morison wrote, “We are right in so honoring him, because no other sailor had the persistence, the knowledge and the sheer guts to sail thousands of miles into the unknown ocean until he found land. This was the most spectacular and most far-reaching geographical discovery in recorded human history.”

Indeed, it is right to honor him on Columbus Day.

​ Orange County Register 

VA Loma Linda’s use of involuntary psychiatric holds violates veterans’ rights, watchdogs allege

• October 8, 2023

The VA Loma Linda Health Care System is violating the civil liberties of some veterans seeking voluntary mental health evaluations by placing them on involuntary psychiatric holds as a precondition of their transportation to a hospital or treatment facility, according to patient advocacy organizations.

The policy, advocates say, effectively prevents the veterans from refusing treatment as well as passing background checks to legally purchase and own firearms.

VA Loma Linda Associate Chief of Staff Michael J. Potoczniak outlined the directive in an Aug. 28, 2022, email to supervisors obtained by the Southern California News Group.

In the email, Potoczniak said veterans arriving at the Ambulatory Care Center for voluntary hospitalization should be placed on a so-called 5150 hold to ensure they are transported safely by ambulance to the Jerry L. Pettis Memorial Veterans Hospital Emergency Department — just more than 2 miles away — for evaluation.

“If you are transporting a veteran without a hold either using VA staffed transportation methods or ambulance, the veteran can request to leave at any moment,” Potoczniak wrote. “If you would be concerned about the patient if they did not arrive at the agreed upon location (the Emergency Department or a community psychiatric facility), the safest method is to place the hold for the purposes of transport.”

There is an opportunity for the 5150 hold — named after a section of the state Welfare and Institutions Code — to be dropped at the admitting location, Potoczniak said.

Policy draws criticism

The policy has stunned VA Loma Linda employees, who worry about the ethical and legal implications of imposing 5150 holds on individuals volunteering for treatment.

“People are dismayed and shocked that the 5150 is being misused in such a manner,” said a VA Loma Linda mental health provider who asked not to be identified because they are not authorized to discuss the issue. “A 5150 can’t be used as a transportation voucher.”

It’s illegal to use a 5150 for anything other than evaluation, assessment and crisis intervention for individuals deemed a danger to others or themselves or who are unable to provide for basic needs such as food, clothing and shelter, and unwilling or unable to accept voluntary treatment, said Rebecca Basson, lead patients rights attorney for the Law Foundation of Silicon Valley.

“I would also argue it is not ethical to knowingly misuse a legal tool to impose additional ‘safeguards’ on clients who do not meet the criteria for them,” she added.

Assembly Bill 2983, enacted in 2019, explicitly states a general acute care hospital or an acute psychiatric hospital cannot insist that a patient voluntarily seeking mental health care be first placed on a 5150 involuntary hold as a condition of admission.

Before being admitted to a designated facility, an individual meeting 5150 criteria must first be given the choice of voluntary admission and refuse prior to being placed on a psychiatric hold. If it is determined the person can be properly served without being involuntarily detained, the person must be provided evaluation, crisis intervention, or other inpatient or outpatient services on a voluntary basis, according to state law.

Revelations about the 5150 policy have surfaced amid several controversies at VA Loma brought to light by whistleblowers, including that of a grounds supervisor who was promoted after federal investigators repeatedly recommended that he be fired for employee harassment and retaliation spanning several years.

In another matter, a confidential 2022 federal report alleges VA Loma Linda mismanaged more than $1 million in patient transportation funding over a three-year period by colluding with ambulance companies through informal “handshake” agreements and unauthorized contracts.

The House Committee on Veterans Affairs is investigating widespread complaints from VA Loma Linda whistleblowers.

Veterans complain

VA Loma Linda admitted 170 veterans on 5150 holds in 2021, 293 in 2022 and 147 so far this year, according to the San Bernardino County Department of Behavioral Health.

It is not known how many of those veterans were seeking voluntary hospitalization. However, several former service members have filed grievances with the VA, according to whistleblowers.

In one of the complaints obtained by the Southern California News Group, a veteran said they specifically requested voluntary admission to the VA Loma Linda’s behavioral health unit but were instead placed on an involuntary 5150 in violation of their constitutional rights.

VA Loma Linda Medical Director Karandeep Sraon said its 5150 policy is guided by a VA directive that emphasizes the need to ensure a safe transfer for outpatient mental health veterans identified as suicidal.

“Our approach to the use of 5150 holds is grounded in California law,” he said in an email. “We consulted with San Bernardino County Patient Rights prior to implementing this guidance. Further, during a recent site visit, they not only found no concerns with our processes, but they also commended our 5150 approach as a best practice. We are proud to have their support, indicating that our processes are within legal and ethical bounds.”

Sraon’s claim about the San Bernardino County Department of Behavioral Health’s endorsement could not be independently verified. The agency said it was reviewing questions from the Southern California News Group regarding VA Loma Linda’s 5150 policy.

However, neighboring Riverside University Health System-Behavioral Health states in its 5150 training manual that detaining individuals who are willing and able to accept voluntary psychiatric hospitalization is illegal.

Arduous evaluation, treatment process

Following a 5150 hold, individuals are taken to a designated psychiatric hospital or mental health facility, where they are evaluated by medical staff to determine if they can be safely released or should be held for 72 hours to receive treatment.

The initial evaluation itself can be long and grueling, said Samuel Jain, a senior policy attorney at Disability Rights California, headquartered in Sacramento.

“The lengthy period patients can wait for an assessment can be extremely traumatic,” he said. “Many of these facilities can be loud, dirty and overcrowded. People can be placed in restraints and forcibly injected with powerful anti-psychotics. Additionally, people’s personal lives can be significantly impacted, including disruptions to work and family obligations.”

One Disability Rights client described their involuntary institutionalization as one of the worst experiences of their life, Jain said.

“At the hospital, the client was tied down with leather restraints, forcibly medicated and forced to sleep on the floor in a room with other patients,” he added. “They were not evaluated by a physician for over 24 hours. When they finally saw a doctor, they were evaluated briefly and then discharged without any community-based services or treatment plan.”

At the end of a 72-hour hold, if a medical provider believes an individual is either unwilling or unable to accept voluntary treatment, another hold can be sought for an additional 14 days.

In California, those detained on a 5150 and admitted to a designated inpatient facility because they are a danger to themselves or others is prohibited from purchasing, possessing or owning a firearm for five years. If they undergo a second 5150 within a year, the firearm ban is for life. No firearm restrictions apply to someone who undergoes voluntary treatment.

Employees revolt

Early this year, as details of Potoczniak’s policy began to trickle down, some VA Loma Linda employees began to worry that the weapon ban provision arising from the improper use of 5150 holds could unjustly affect the employment of veterans working for law enforcement agencies and security firms.

They also pondered legal and ethical questions.

Could they trust providers in the Emergency Department to discontinue the 5150 when warranted? Would the policy impact patient trust and willingness to engage in therapy? Would their mental health licenses be in jeopardy? Could they be liable if providers failed to discharge or decided to maintain the involuntary hold?

Some staff members asked to meet with leadership while others refused to carry out the directive, said a VA Loma Linda employee who asked not to be identified because they feared retaliation.

Anthony Hwang, VA Loma Linda’s behavioral health inpatient supervisor, huddled with employees in mid-March to discuss their grievances. Later, he provided them with a memo outlining the rationale for 5150 holds.

Hwang said in the memo obtained by the Southern California News Group that “true” voluntary admissions can be considered, but added if there are concerns about a veteran changing his or her mind about voluntary hospitalization a 5150 is “absolutely appropriate.”

“A lot can happen between here and the Emergency Department,” he said. “We have had patients become agitated, exit vehicles unsafely, leave the premises, harm others.”

Hwang warned that if there are “adverse outcomes,” San Bernardino County may rescind the ability of VA Loma Linda providers to become 5150 certified. “We will then be unable to assist our veterans adequately in crises,” he wrote. “If we are unable to safely transport our veterans, we may lose our ability to write 5150s.”

Basson noted that “using a 5150 to physically restrain a patient who doesn’t require that kind of crisis intervention, but might in the future, is based on an amorphous idea that people with mental health disabilities are violent, is ableist and unconscionable.”

A VA Loma Linda employee, who asked to remain anonymous, said the intent of the 5150 policy is good but it’s “poorly executed,” adding, “They need to find another way to transport those who are having a mental health crisis and need assessment.”

Ambulance companies’ role

Hwang’s memo also says ambulance companies will not transport veterans without a 5150 hold.

James “Jimmy” Pierson, immediate past president of the California Ambulance Association, said he is unaware of any regulations prohibiting ambulance companies from transporting patients without a 5150.

But patient rights advocates across the state have reported that ambulance operators are indeed refusing to pick up individuals unless they are on an involuntary hold, Jain said, adding that the practice is particularly common in Northern California.

“Disability Rights California has serious concerns about a practice whereby private ambulance providers request individuals seeking voluntary mental health treatment are placed on an involuntary hold solely for ambulance transport,” the organization said in a statement. “This common practice triggers major civil rights concerns and creates a chilling effect on individuals seeking mental health treatment on a voluntary basis.”

Disability Rights California succeeded in adding a provision to Assembly Bill 1376 explicitly prohibiting private ambulance providers from requiring a person to be placed on an involuntary hold as a precondition to transport.

The bill, which would amend state law regulating liability limitations for emergency medical services, is awaiting Gov. Gavin Newsom’s signature.

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