Help available for those anxious about COVID-19
For Immediate Release
May 7, 2020
Contact: Joy Alexiou
Public Information Officer
408-885-4164 or cell 408-595-2936
Santa Clara County, CA. Throughout the month of May, the Behavioral Health Services Department (BHSD) will highlight available resources and special events to bring awareness to mental health in our communities and help eliminate stigma around mental health issues.
The COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic is increasing stress and anxiety for many in our community. Feelings about the disease can be overwhelming and cause strong emotions in adults and children. The BHSD, staffed with essential employees, is responding and supporting our community through the following call centers and hotlines:
Mental Health Services Call Center. Operations continue 24-hours, 7 days per week at 1-800-704-0900. The Call Center will make referrals to available community services. If you speak another language, language assistance services are free of charge and available. Call 1-800-704-0900 (TTY: 1-800.855.7100 or 711).
Substance Use Services Call Center. Operations continue Monday through Friday, from 8AM to 5PM at 1-800-488-9919. Callers will be referred to detoxification and residential treatment services and to an available community outpatient program. After hours calls requesting detoxification or residential services will be forwarded and handled through the Residential Provider Network allowing for continued placement 24/7.
Crisis Text Line. Text-based support continues to be available and the line provides free, text-based, confidential assistance to people in need in Santa Clara County. To receive text-based support from trained Crisis Text Line counselors, Santa Clara County residents can text RENEW to 741741.
Suicide and Crisis Hotline. The Hotline continues to operate 24-hours, 7 days a week: 1-855-278-4204.
Uplift Family Services' Mobile Crisis Team. Interventions are provided 24-hour intervention to children and teens in the community who are in acute psychological crisis. To access the 4-hour/7 days a week crisis line call 1-408-379-9085 or call toll-free 1-877-41-CRISIS (1-877-412-7474).
Mobile Crisis Response Teams (MCRTs). Screenings and response to crisis situations continue over the phone, and when needed, crisis intervention services are delivered at locations throughout Sant Clara County. Call the Mobile Crisis Response Team at 1-800-704-0900, Monday through Friday, from 8AM to 8PM; select option #2 to request a Mobile Crisis Response Team member. If you experience a mental health crisis outside those hours, call 1-800-704-0900. A clinician is available 24 hours, 7 days per week to assess the situation and connect you to appropriate services.
Mental Health Urgent Care. Anyone with urgent psychiatric or medication needs should go to the Mental Health Urgent Care Center, a walk-in outpatient clinic for Santa Clara County residents who are experiencing behavioral health crisis and need help. The Mental Health Urgent Care Center is open from 8AM to 10PM daily and is located at 871 Enborg Court, Unit 100, San Jose.
Please note: Routine and non-urgent services and appointments are being replaced by telephone visits when possible.
Other ways the BHSD is supporting our community’s health and wellbeing is through a series of virtual town halls. At these town halls, culturally-specific mental health information and resources for individuals, families and communities will be shared. Participants will learn tips for managing stress, including anxiety and depression, and hear about available local mental health resources. The virtual town halls will take place on Zoom and social media livestream during May is Mental Health Awareness Month.
Additionally, Facebook LIVE with the County of Santa Clara will feature Protecting Your Mental Health During COVID-19 next week. Staff from the Behavioral Health Services Department will talk about the impact of COVID-10 on our mental health and strategies that can be implemented to support children, youth, adults and families during and after the pandemic. Follow the Public Health Department on Facebook @sccpublichealth.
Facebook LIVE provides the latest information on COVID-19 and is hosted by the County of Santa Clara and the Public Health Department every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 10:00AM PT.
You can also visit the BHSD website www.sccbhsd.org to access information about Coping with Stress During Infectious Disease Outbreaks available in English, Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, and Farsi.
Follow the Behavioral Health Services Department on Facebook @cscbehavioralhealth, Instagram @cscbehaioralhealth and Twitter @cschealthsystem.
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