RIVERSIDE – Now Riverside County residents can rely on Riverside University Health System – Behavioral Health’s Mobile Crisis Response service for assistance 24/7.
The Mobile Crisis Response teams include therapists, behavioral health case managers, substance abuse counselors and peer support specialists who are equipped to handle suicidal thoughts, substance use and misuse emergencies and other behavioral health crises that community members may be experiencing. Intervention is crucial for de-escalating a behavioral health crisis, saving lives and avoiding unnecessary emergency department care, psychiatric hospitalization and law enforcement involvement.
“A behavioral health crisis can happen at any time, so it’s important that our residents have access to the support they need when they need it. We serve everyone, anywhere, any time,” Dr. Matthew Chang, director of behavioral health at RUHS, said.
Mobile Crisis Response teams diverted 70% of contacts experiencing a crisis from law enforcement and inpatient hospital admissions in fiscal year 2021-2022, demonstrating the effectiveness of a compassionate approach in handling crises without the need for further law enforcement involvement.
The county said the move to round-the-clock mobile response is part of RUHS-BH’s expansion of services, which includes five new vans staged throughout the county to give community members privacy and discrete respect on scene. The vans will augment RUHS-BH’s mobile crisis fleet.
RUHS-BH partnered with Sycamores, a Southern California-based organization specializing in behavioral health outreach and crisis support, to expand its Mobile Crisis Response by ensuring overnight coverage 365 days a year.
“We welcome the opportunity to support Riverside County,” Debra Manners, president and CEO at Sycamores, said. “We’ve experienced firsthand the significant impact these teams can have during a behavioral health crisis, and we are eager to extend our services to the residents of Riverside County.”
RUHS-BH also offers mental health urgent care through Take My Hand Live Peer Chat, Peer Support & Resource Centers, Transitional Age Youth Centers and numerous county youth and adult wellness clinics. Mobile Crisis Response and other behavioral health services and resources can be accessed by calling 951-686-4357. For more information, visit http://RUHealth.org.
Submitted by Riverside University Health System.
