CH Cerritos

• Chief Executive Officer

  
  
  Stephen Witt
  

• Chief of Staff

  
  
  Craig Wronski, D.O.
  

• Medical Director

  
  
  George Karamigos, MD
  

• Associate Administrator Hospital Operations

  
  
  Louise Ferraro
  

• Human Resources Director

  
  
  Holly McKittrick
  

• Chief Nursing Officer

  
  
  Kiyo Teshima, RN
  

• Director of Quality Improvement / Risk Management

  
  
  Cara Jenson
  

Access Services

College Hospital’s Access Services is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, by intake specialists who respond to the caller’s needs by arranging Crisis Team evaluations or providing referral to resources.  Access Services assists in the admission process by obtaining information, verifying insurance and preparing the patient for admission.

College Crisis Team

College Hospital’s Crisis Team is a mobile team of clinicians who respond to requests for service in Los Angeles County at any “safe” location such as Emergency Rooms, Police Departments, Clinics, Treatment Centers, Residential Care Facilities, Retirement Homes, Convalescent Homes, places of employment, therapists’ office or private residences. College Hospital’s Crisis Team is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and can be reached at 800-352-3301.

For the Crisis Team clinician’s safety, responses to calls from private residences are handled in coordination with the local police department’s presence.

All on-site or off-site assessments, consultations and referrals are conducted by designated licensed mental health professionals.  This multidisciplinary team includes RN’s, MFT’s and LCSW’s. During a face to face interview, the clinician determines the nature and severity of the crisis and identifies the support services needed, if any.

There are medical parameters required for all psychiatric admissions.

Notice of Privacy Practices

Confidentiality

Federal and State laws prohibit College Hospital from disclosing patient health information without the written consent of the patient.  College Hospital strictly complies with all Federal and State laws governing the privacy, security, use and disclosure of patient health information.

Visiting Hours
PLEASE NOTE VISITING HOURS HAVE BEEN SUSPENDED DUE TO COVID-19

1. Visiting hours are as follows:7:00 pm to 8:30 pm Monday – Friday
   3:00 pm to 4:30 pm Saturday – Sunday
   special arrangements maybe made when possible
2. Only two visitors for one patient at a time may be on the unit.
3. All patients have the right to refuse visitors at any time.
4. Any person exhibiting flu-like symptoms will not be permitted to visit.

Please sign in at the front desk to receive a Visitors Badge.
     When allowed to enter the unit, please check-in at the nursing station.

Please note: Personal belongings may not be brought onto the unit (e.g. cellphones, purses, backpacks, bags, etc.)
Lockers are available in the lobby.

Bringing Items for Patients

1. For the safety of our patients, we ask that you do not bring in the following:
   1. Food (special arrangements can be made in advance);
   2. Glass or sharp objects (including flower vases);
   3. Items with cords or strings (shoelaces, belts, walkman, hair dryer, balloons, etc.)
2. If belongings are brought at any time other than visiting hours, belongings must be left at the front desk to be picked up by a unit staff member.

It is highly recommended that patients leave valuables at home.

Patient safety is the highest priority for our staff at College Hospital Cerritos. One of the major ways we are able to maintain a safe and therapeutic environment for our patients is by prohibiting the storage of certain items in patient rooms.  Those items are considered to be “contraband” on all units and will be securely stored during a patients stay in the hospital.  The following is a list of most common contrabands although it is not inclusive.

Contraband:

1. Alcohol or any drug related paraphernalia.
2. Sharp objects such as razors, scissors, glass bottles, mirrors, picture frames, needles, pins, aluminum cans, spiral notebooks, keys, make-up pencil sharpeners, paper clips, hair clips, underwire bras, and any other item with sharp edges or which can be broken to create sharp edges.
3. Shoe laces, belts, panty hose, rope, head bands, ace bandages and clothing with draw strings or long ties.
4. Matches, lighters and cigarettes.
5. Aerosol cans or fireworks of any kind.
6. Personal televisions, stereo, video games, walkmans, cassette or CD players/recorders, “boom boxes”, MP3 players, computers, palm pilots, pagers, cell phones, any item with an electrical cord, cameras, camcorders or any type of audio visual recording device, etc…
7. Magazines, books, pictures, or clothing items depicting drug or alcohol use, violence, racism, gangs, sexual situations or activities, Satanism or otherwise potentially offensive material.
8. Weapons of any kind.
9. Candles or incense.
10. Plastic bags.
11. Medications of any kind (medication will be stored and dispensed by MD order only).
12. Money, credit cards, jewelry, cell phones and other valuables will be placed in the hospital safe until discharge.  Patients may keep a small amount of money with them on the unit.
13. Any other item deemed inappropriate or dangerous by the clinical staff.

All contraband items that cannot be sent home with family or friends will be stored securely on the unit or in the safe until discharge.  Any illegal substance will be destroyed by two licensed staff members and weapons will be turned over to the police department.

The mission of College Hospital is to develop, manage and promote a continuum of health care services to meet the behavioral needs of our community. This includes offering financial assistance or services at a discounted price to those who qualify.

College Hospital provides our patients the option to qualify for Financial Assistance. This charity policy is a means through which College Hospital will work to meet the behavioral needs of its patients by offering services at no charge or at a nominal charge for qualified patients. While County government has the responsibility for providing services to the indigent, College Hospital assists in carrying out that responsibility. Helping to meet the needs of the uninsured and underinsured is an important element in our commitment to the community. The Charity Care qualifications are based on the Federal Poverty Level guidelines and are contingent upon the completion of the required documentation.

View our full policy and procedure here: English | Spanish

Qualifying for Financial Assistance

• Assistance is available if services being provided are not covered/reimbursed by Medi-Cal or any other third party, the patient is self-pay, the patient has medical expenses which exceed 10% of the family income, and/or patient has family income at or below 400% of the FPL.
• Full financial assistance is available if the patient’s income is 400% or less of the FPL, regardless of net worth or size of bill.
• Partial financial assistance is available If the patient’s income is between 401% and 450% of the FPL.
• Assistance is based upon a sliding scale based on family size and income level, regardless of net worth or size of bill.

To view the current Federal Poverty Level guidelines, please visit https://aspe.hhs.gov/topics/poverty-economic-mobility/poverty-guidelines

How to Apply

Download and print the Financial Assistance Application and instructions here: English | Spanish

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) established guidance for hospitals to make available a list of their standard charges online.

At College Hospital, we know that health care can be an unexpected expense and that the cost of health care services can be a deciding factor for many people as they plan for care. Our hospital supports health care pricing transparency and tools that help patients and consumers evaluate what care is best for them and any related financial costs.

Hospital charges can help patients understand what the costs might be for certain health care services; however, they don’t provide a full picture of what patients will pay. Patients’ financial liability will depend on the full course of treatment and on the type of insurance coverage they have. Patient financial liability is determined by each individual insurance policy.

If a patient has no insurance coverage, College Hospital offers the following discounted rates:

	Inpatient Mental Health Treatment –	$985 per day, all inclusive
	Partial Hospital Treatment –	$240 per day**

**In addition, patients will be charged per psychiatrist visit. Psychiatrist are not employees of the hospital and charge for fees separately from the facility.

We encourage all health care consumers to speak with their providers and their health plan to get a full picture of what they will pay. For our patients, we offer financial counseling for those experiencing hardship during any point throughout their care. We offer charity care applications for those who qualify based on the federal poverty income guidelines. In addition, we offer interest free payment plans for those patients who cannot pay the allocated patient liability in full. College Hospital is here to help you.

You have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate”
explaining how much your medical care will cost.

Under the law, health care providers need to give patients who don’t have insurance or who are not using insurance and estimate of the bill for medical items and services.

• You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency items or services. This includes related costs like medical tests, prescription drugs, equipment, and hospital fees.
• Make sure your health care provider gives you a Good Faith Estimate in writing at least one business day before your medical service or item. You can also ask your healthcare provider, and any other provider you choose, for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule an item or service.
• If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill.
• Make sure to save a copy or picture of your Good Faith Estimate.

For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises

Download standard hospital charges

Request a Price Estimate

Get price estimates for common medical services to aid in your planning and decision making.

1.	Name of requestor *

2.	Name of patient (if different from requestor)

3.	Patient date of birth *

4.	College Hospital a free standing psychiatric facility therefore we are limited to services that are reimbursable by insurance companies. Our rates are all inclusive. All facility services provided such as labs, medications, group therapy, nursing care, etc. are included in the established daily rates. Below indicate which service you are currently interested in receiving.*
	Inpatient Psychiatric Care Partial Hospitalization Care

5.	Email address:

6.	Phone number:

7.	How do you wish to be contacted?*
	Email Phone

8.	Is the patient insured? (Please select yes even if insurance isn’t being used for this service.) *
	Yes No

9.	If insurance will be used for your care please provide your insurance policy information:
	Insurance Carrier Policy ID

10.	Comments:

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