Mental health program operates in partnership with local police departments
VACAVILLE, Calif. (April 4, 2022) — Pacific Clinics and Solano County Behavioral Health are pleased to announce the expansion of their free Mobile Crisis Response Program into the cities of Vacaville, Rio Vista, Dixon and unincorporated parts of Solano County. The program’s mission is to de-escalate crisis situations, link people to necessary services and support the care coordination with appropriate agencies. Those seeking to access these services can call 911- calls are handled by trained police department emergency dispatch. This service is available from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.
The Mobile Crisis Response Program was initially launched in May of 2021 in Fairfield and Suisun City and expanded to Vallejo and Benicia in November 2021. With the latest expansion, Pacific Clinics and Solano County Behavioral Health will work closely with all Solano County law enforcement agencies to meet the mental health needs of county residents.
“We want everyone to access quality care,” said Mary Sheppard, Regional Executive Director of Pacific Clinics. “The Mobile Crisis Response Program offers timely and necessary services in the county.” Associate Director Jennifer MacKinnon, who manages the program, added, “I am passionate about this work because of the lives being saved. I have often gone in the field with our teams, and people are responding to the work we are doing with incredible openness, and they find new opportunities for hope in their life after they engage with our teams.”
The service initially was provided by Uplift Family Services, which merged with Pacific Clinics this year to become one of the state’s largest nonprofit community-based providers of behavioral health services. Through its contract with Solano County Behavioral Health, Pacific Clinics has hired clinicians, case managers and peer support specialists who work in the community as a team to support children, youth, and adults in crisis regardless of language, insurance, or immigration status.
Pacific Clinics has seen an increase in collaboration between community members, police departments and behavioral health programs to address those experiencing mental health crises. During the past eight months, the team has responded to 238 community calls, with more than half of those individuals accessing face-to-face crisis services.
“It’s a priority for our county that our crisis continuum address the recovery needs for our community, as we face the collective trauma the pandemic has caused,” says Emery Cowan, Deputy Director for Solano County Behavioral Health, “our hope is that people we serve and their families move beyond their crisis to lead happy, productive lives connected with the treatment they need.”
Solano County Behavioral Health is proud to expand this vital program so it can reach more residents. Another critical partner in this service is Medic Ambulance, which supports community transport to prevent individuals in crisis from being transported in a police car, reducing trauma. These services requested by community members, persons served, family members and stakeholders are funded by Solano County and the voter-approved Proposition 63, Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) as described in the Integrated Three-Year Plan.
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ABOUT PACIFIC CLINICS
Pacific Clinics is California’s largest community-based nonprofit provider of behavioral and mental health services and supports. Its team of more than 2,000 employees speak 22 languages and are dedicated to offering hope and unlocking the full potential of individuals and families through culturally-responsive, trauma-informed, research-based services for individuals and families from birth to older adults. The agency offers services in multiple counties across the state including Alameda, Contra Costa, Fresno, Kings, Los Angeles, Madera, Orange, Placer, Riverside, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Francisco, Santa Clara, Solano, Stanislaus, Stockton, Tulare and Ventura.
ABOUT SOLANO COUNTY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
Solano County Behavioral Health assists over 6,000 children, youth and adults each year who are experiencing a psychiatric crisis, addiction, or who have significant mental and emotional disabilities. Visit our website and on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter (@SolanoCountyBH)
