Sunday, February 5, 2023
2/5/2023
One in five adults experience a mental health crisis at some time in their life. The Be Well OC model in Huntington Beach is the first mobile crisis response program in Orange County to deliver mental health services directly to community members in need, instead of sending sworn police officers or firefighters who can be attending to more emergent public safety issues. The program in Huntington Beach operates two Be Well OC vans, each staffed with a pair of crisis counselors who respond to non-emergency, non-medical situations such as a mental health crisis or substance addiction and follow up with case management services to ensure residents receive continual care. This funding will allow the City to continue and expand the operations of this program to serve additional residents and provide them with the mental health resources that they desperately need. In the first six months of the program, the Be Well OC vans responded to approximately 900 calls for service that were originally routed through 911, which freed up significant resources for the City’s public safety officers to focus on more emergency situations. This program will improve outcomes for those in need, serve our most at risk population, support law enforcement and EMS officers so they can focus on emergency situations, and provide the mental health and wellness support needed in our community.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).
