State grants to expand crisis mental health services for youth

Boosting Mental Health Services for Local Youth

Auburn, Calif.- New grants will help Placer County expand services for children experiencing a mental health crisis or those at risk of one.

These efforts will follow a similar and successful expansion of adult mental health services. Three years ago, a grant from the state Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission through Mental Health Services Act funds helped the county launch a mobile crisis triage team for adults experiencing a mental health crisis. This team works in the field in partnership with first responders and community providers, intervening and helping manage crises.

As a result, there is less need for inpatient hospitalization, which can be both traumatizing and expensive; clients can avoid the emergency room altogether; and law enforcement resources are freed up. Recipients of these services required inpatient psychiatric hospitalization only 30 percent of the time. Prior to the grant funding, half of all recipients receiving crisis services required hospitalization.

Placer County Adult System of Care received a new $1.1 million grant from MHSOAC this year to expand upon these services based on the program’s success. And now, the county will develop similar services for children and families starting in the Roseville area.

MHSOAC awarded the county two additional grants to focus on children and youth. One grant of $1.4 million will help create a mobile crisis team for children, youth and families. The second, totaling $7.5 million over four years, will specifically focus on developing more prevention and crisis intervention services on school campuses, particularly those that have been most impacted by student mental health issues.

Placer was one of only four counties statewide awarded the latter grant. As a result of this funding, the county with work with the Placer County Office of Education and local school districts in the Roseville area to strengthen partnerships and services to support students.

“By meeting children and families where they are – at home, at school, or in the community – and at the moment they need help the most, we have the opportunity to make a much greater impact and prevent problems from worsening,” said Placer Health and Human Services Director Jeff Brown.

The county served more than 3,000 adults and children in crisis over the last fiscal year and is on track to serve a similar number of individuals this year.

Placer County residents experiencing a crisis can also call the county directly:

Adult: 916-787-8860 or toll free 888-886-5401
Family and children: 916-872-6549 or toll free 866-293-1940