What’s happening: In just over two weeks, the 2025 Emergency Services Forum will take place in Newport Beach, where emergency services professionals will gather for a day of learning, discussion, and networking. Registration is open.
What else to know: At the forum, to be held May 5 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., attendees can expect dynamic sessions covering the latest updates in emergency services, insights into the evolving behavioral health landscape, an interactive Q&A forum, a closing session on the Emergency Medical Treatment & Labor Act, and more.
A keynote address from Liz Basnett, director of the California Emergency Medical Services Authority (EMSA), will provide transparency around the latest on EMSA’s requirements — including efforts to modernize and update EMSA regulations to meet emergency services’ increasing needs.
This will be followed by three behavioral health-related general sessions:
- The first will provide a high-level overview of statewide initiatives aimed at addressing emergency departments (EDs) challenges in navigating the evolving behavioral health landscape, including the 988-crisis system implementation plan and the expansion of mobile crisis services designed to divert patients from the ED.
- In the second, an ED director and mother will share her daughter’s evolving behavioral health journey across multiple ED visits, offering valuable insights into the challenges families face and the opportunities to reimagine how young patients are supported in the ED and beyond.
- The third will be an open Q&A forum in which panelists will explore strategies for navigating partnerships with county behavioral health departments and community organizations, as well as share practical ideas to build a more connected and responsive system of care for ED patients.
