Save these Orange County, CA mental health & community resources for later!

Navigating mental health and wellness can be challenging, but knowing where to turn for support can make all the difference. Orange County, CA is home to a diverse array of mental and behavioral health resources designed to provide assistance, whether you're facing a crisis, seeking long-term therapy, or looking for community support. This comprehensive guide offers a valuable directory of crisis lines, state and city resources, hospitals, and various community-based organizations dedicated to mental health. Keep this list handy for yourself or share it with loved ones - these essential resources are here to help when you need them most.

Crisis Resources + State Resources

If this is a life-threatening emergency, Dial 911

Orange County Health Care Agency (OCHCA): The OCHCA offers a range of mental health and substance abuse services, including dual diagnosis treatment. It also provides outpatient programs and referrals to live-in facilities within Orange County.

OC Healthcare Agency—HCA Portal: The patient portal provides secure online access to your personal health information at the County of Orange Health Care Agency, in association with CernerHealth. The HCA Portal permits you to review details of your Behavioral Health records and medical history and exchange non-urgent messages with your Care Team.

OC Links: You can contact OC Links anytime you want. The (855) 625-4657 phone line and live chat are both available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. OC Links connects individuals with a supportive "navigator" who can assist with a variety of topics, including crisis intervention services, outreach and engagement for homeless individuals and families, alcohol and drug prevention, community mental health promotion, etc.

OC Navigator: The OC Navigator is part of the Orange County Behavioral Health System Transformation Innovation Project. The project seeks to help people find and connect with the supportive resources they need in different areas of their life, including health, wellbeing, and other supportive services.

Orange County Mental Health Plan Access Line: 1-800-723-8641 Specialty mental health and/or substance use services. Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The Mobile Crisis Assessment Team (CAT): Call OC Links 24/7 at (855) 625-4657.

This multi-disciplinary program provides prompt response in the county when an individual is experiencing a behavioral health crisis. Clinicians respond to calls from anyone in the community 24 hours a day, 7 days a week year-round, and dispatch to locations throughout Orange County. Clinicians receive specialized training and are designed to conduct evaluations and risk assessments that are geared to the individual's age and developmental level. The evaluations include interviews with the individual, as well as parents, guardians, family members, law enforcement, emergency department staff, and/or school personnel, if available. Clinicians link individuals to an appropriate level of care to ensure their safety, which may involve the initiation of a hospitalization. CAT clinicians also follow up with individuals and/or their parents/guardians to provide information, referrals, and linkage to ongoing behavioral health services that may help reduce the need for future crisis interventions. 

2-1-1: When you dial 2-1-1, you access a free, 24/7 emergency hotline that connects you with a vast array of local health and human services resources. This hotline, operated by 211 Orange County, is manned round the clock by compassionate, skilled, and knowledgeable specialists. Individuals are able to speak to a live representative. 211 conversations are confidential, can be made anonymously, and are available in 180 languages upon request.

988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: To reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, dial 988 or 1-800-273-8255. Recently designated as the new three-digit dialing code, 988 serves as a direct route to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, now renamed the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. When individuals contact 988 via call, text, or chat, they are connected to trained counselors who are part of the established Lifeline network. These counselors offer attentive listening, empathetic support, and assistance in understanding how their challenges are impacting them. They also facilitate connections to relevant resources for further help and support if needed.

Veterans Crisis Line: call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) and press 1; or text 838255. Access free, confidential support 24/7, 365 days a year. The Veterans Crisis Line serves Veterans, service members, National Guard and Reserve members, and those who support them.

Crisis Text Line: text the word 'Home' to 741-741. Text HOME to 741741 from anywhere in the United States, anytime. Crisis Text Line (CTL) is here for you. A live, trained volunteer Crisis Counselor receives the text and responds, all from our secure online platform. The volunteer Crisis Counselor will help you move from a hot moment to a cool calm.

Didi Hirsch Suicide Crisis Hotline: 1-877-727-4747 Crisis prevention hotline, over-the-phone suicide prevention services. Available to talk 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The organization operates a multilingual 24/7 Crisis Line, which is a prominent member of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and Crisis Chat networks. In addition to answering calls for Teen Line and the National Disaster Distress Helpline, their crisis counselors use Crisis Text to communicate with individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. The Suicide Response Team is part of the City of Los Angeles Mayor’s Crisis Response Team, and the organization also offers follow-up services for suicidal patients discharged from area emergency departments.

The Trevor Lifeline for LGBTQ Youth: call 1-866-488-7386. The Trevor Project’s mission is to end suicide among LGBTQ+ young people.

The Trans Lifeline: call 1-877-565-8860. Trans Lifeline is a trans-led organization that connects trans people to the community, support, and resources they need to survive and thrive.

Warmline (877) 910-WARM: 24/7 Emotional Support plays an important role in Orange County’s Crisis and Suicide Prevention continuum by providing non-crisis or crisis prevention support over the phone or through live chat, for anyone struggling with mental health and substance use issues. Upon connecting with the WarmLine, individuals are screened for eligibility and assessed for needed mental health information, support and resources.

NAMI Orange County: National Alliance on Mental Illness. NAMI OC WarmLine -nbsp;(714) 991-6412. Now Available 24 Hours Daily / 7 Days a Week. Call, text, or chat anytime! This is a free and confidential telephone service that provides emotional support and resources to Orange County residents.

Good Programs & Information to Know About

Crisis Stabilization Unit (CSU): Crisis Stabilization Units (CSUs) provide the community with 24-hour, 7-day-a-week, year-round service for individuals who are experiencing a behavioral health crisis requiring emergent stabilization that cannot wait until a regularly scheduled appointment. One of the units serves Orange County residents ages 13 and older, the majority of whom may be on 72-hour civil detention for psychiatric evaluation due to danger to self, others or grave disability resulting from a behavioral health disorder (i.e., Welfare and Institutions Code 5150/5585). The CSUs can be accessed directly by individuals experiencing a crisis, as well as by family members, law enforcement and others in the community who believe an individual has an emergent behavioral health need.

In-Home Crisis Stabilization (IHCS): The In-Home Crisis Stabilization (IHCS) program operates a 24-hour, 7-day a-week, year-round service that consists of family stabilization teams that provide short-term, intensive in-home services to individuals who have been assessed to be at imminent risk of psychiatric hospitalization or out-of-home placement but are capable of remaining safely in the community and out of the hospital with appropriate support. The teams include clinicians and peers with lived experience, with one set of teams serving youth under age 18 and another serving TAY, adults and older adults ages 18 and older. Individuals are referred by County behavioral health clinicians, County and County-contracted CSUs, our CAT teams and emergency department personnel. 

Crisis Residential Services (CRS): The Crisis Residential Services (CRS) program provides highly structured, voluntary residential services for individuals experiencing a behavioral health crisis and meets eligibility requirements. Individuals ages 12 and older can be referred if they have been evaluated for psychiatric hospitalization, can be safely referred to a less restrictive, lower level of care and they and/or their family are experiencing considerable distress. Individuals must be referred by hospitals (for the Children's and TAY sites), County CAT/PERTs or County or County-contracted Specialty Mental Health Plan programs (i.e., the program does not accept walk-ins, self-referrals). The Adult CRS program currently has 42 beds available at 4 sites located throughout Orange County. 

Orange County Behavioral Health Services (OC BHS): The organization's mission is to prevent substance abuse and/or mental health crises, intervene early and appropriately when signs are present, and provide the right type of treatment at the right place by the right person/programs to help individuals achieve and maintain the highest quality of health and wellness.

OC Resources for Navigating an Involuntary Hold (5150): You can download Orange County Health Care Agency's guide here. This is a guide for family members and loved ones. 5150 is the number of the section of the Welfare and Institutions Code, which allows an adult who is experiencing a mental health crisis to be involuntarily detained for a 72-hour psychiatric hospitalization when evaluated to be a danger to others or to himself or herself or gravely disabled.

Orange County Sheriff's Office Behavioral Response Unit (BRU): The Orange County Sheriff's Office has formed a Behavioral Response Unit (BRU) to better handle mental health crises. The team, consisting of deputies and mental health clinicians, will respond to calls related to mental illness, PTSD, and substance abuse. The goal is to provide assistance, access community resources, and create treatment plans for individuals in crisis. The team will work alongside patrol deputies to de-escalate situations and reduce the number of arrests and Baker Acts.

Additional Mental Health Resources in Orange County

Didi Hirsch Therapy and Support Groups: In Los Angeles or Ventura Counties, individuals can contact 424-362-2911 for information about therapy and support groups. For those in Orange County, they can reach out to 714-989-8311 to learn more about the available services. These specialized support groups and therapy services cater to individuals who have been affected by suicide or are frontline healthcare workers or first responders. Therapy services are also available via telehealth for California residents outside of these counties. Additionally, a direct referral process is available in Orange County for individuals being discharged from hospitals, emergency departments, behavioral health units, and crisis stabilization units after a suicide attempt or crisis.

Didi Hirsch Training: The suicide prevention training programs cater to the needs of various groups. Specialized training is available for first responders (such as law enforcement and FBI agents), medical professionals (doctors, nurses, etc.), clinical practitioners (therapists, social workers, counselors, psychologists), and community members (adults and adolescents). For Los Angeles County: (424) 362-2907. For Orange County: (714) 989-8312.

Orange County Mental Health Awareness Events Calendar: Browse the Calendar of Events below, which highlights mental health and wellness events happening throughout Orange County.

Stigma Free OC: Stigma Free OC is a county-wide movement that aims to clear the stigma associated with mental illness and addiction. The campaign is dedicated to raising awareness of these illnesses by creating an environment where people are seen and supported in their efforts to achieve wellness and recovery.

Cal Optima: 714-246-8692. CalOptima is a public agency founded by the community as a County-Organized Health System that offers health insurance programs for low-income children, adults, seniors, and people with disabilities.

NAMI OC PEER MENTORING SERVICES: Pairs you with one of NAMI's trained mentors at a prearranged meeting time that is convenient for you. Your experienced mentor will offer practical advice, support and resources during your calls.

NAMI Family Support Groups: Family Support Group is a peer-led support group for family members, caregivers, and loved ones of individuals living with mental illness. Gain insight from the challenges and successes of others facing similar circumstances. 

NAMI OC Connection Recovery Support Group: Connection Recovery Support Group is a no-cost, peer-led support group for adults living with a mental health condition. You will gain insight from hearing the challenges and successes of others. The groups are led by NAMI-trained facilitators who have experience living with a mental health condition. NAMI-OC’s Support Groups are unique because they follow a structured model to ensure you and others in the group can be heard and get what you need. The groups meet on a bi-weekly, weekly or monthly basis.  Call (714) 544-8488 for more information.

Mental Health Association of Orange County (MHA): MHA seeks to promote the positive mental health and emotional well-being of Orange County residents, working towards reducing the stigma of mental illness and developmental disabilities and providing support to victims of sexual assault and other crimes. Learn more and get involved.

Western Youth Services: The organization focuses on trauma-informed care for children, youth, and families, aiming to advance awareness, cultivate success, and strengthen communities through integrated mental health services for these groups. Call 888-312-0406 to get help. Email: gethelp@westernyouthservices.org

Hospital Resources

Hoag Mental Health Center: The center's goal is to improve the health and well-being of the surrounding underserved community through the provision of psychotherapy and integrated care.

Mission Hospital Laguna Beach Behavioral Health: Mission Hospital Laguna Beach Behavioral Health offers psychiatric and psychological treatment in a serene environment near the beach. The treatment is research-based and provided by licensed professionals in a group setting, with individual follow-up to ensure treatment goals are met.

Cherese Mari Laulhere Mental Health Inpatient Center: The Cherese Mari Laulhere Mental Health Inpatient Center is an inpatient psychiatric facility in Orange County, California. It caters exclusively to the treatment of children between the ages of 3 and 17 who are at immediate risk of self-harm or harming others due to mental illness. Notably, it is the only inpatient facility in Orange County equipped to treat patients under 10 years of age. The center's medical staff and care team undergo special training to provide round-the-clock patient- and family-centered care for children with mental health needs.

Kaiser Permanente Mental Health Care: Individuals experiencing mental or emotional challenges can access support without needing a referral. They can learn more about how to obtain care for themselves or loved ones in need. Access mental health support here. Need care urgently or have concerns? For 24/7 crisis intervention and urgent mental health advice, please call 1-800-900-3277 (TTY 711). For concerns about mental health or substance use services, call 1-800-390-3503 to reach our dedicated resolution specialists, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

CalOptima Mental Health And Behavioral Health Services: CalOptima Health takes an integrated approach to meet individuals' mental, behavioral, and physical health needs. The organization works with a network of primary care providers and licensed mental and behavioral health providers to ensure that individuals receive quality health care services. For more information or help with mental health or behavioral health treatment, call the CalOptima Health Behavioral Health line toll-free at 1-855-877-3885 (TTY 711), 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We have staff who speak your language.

St. Joseph's Behavioral Health Center: Behavioral Health Outpatient Services 714-771-8085 Mon - Fri: 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. Behavioral Health Inpatient Services 714-771-8134 available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

UCI Health Psychiatry Services: UCI Health Psychiatry Services offers a full spectrum of comprehensive mental health services for children and adults, including inpatient hospitalization as well as outpatient and emergency psychiatry. For outpatient appointment inquiries, call 714-456-5902.

Other SoCal Community Resources

Alcoholics Anonymous: 800-923-2772. Alcoholics Anonymous® is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism. Find meetings here.

Anaheim Housing Authority: 714-765-4320. The Anaheim Housing Authority administers federally-funded programs and grants allocated by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in the City of Anaheim, CA.

ARCHES: 714-532-7941. ARCHES program is a dedicated family support program of Boys & Girls Clubs of Garden Grove (BGCGG) that focuses on improving families’ Access to Resources for Children’s Health, Education, and Support, connecting families to community resources

Women, Infants and Children (WIC) - 714-973-2411. The Orange County Health Care Agency WIC program provides supplemental food, nutrition education, breastfeeding support and help finding health care and other community services for low to moderate-income pregnant, breastfeeding and postpartum women, and infants/children up to age 5 who are at nutritional risk.

Abrazar Community Service and Education Center 714-898-0203. Dedicated to promoting the general welfare and prosperity of very poor to medium-income seniors and families in Orange County through programs that improve health, nutrition, socialization, lifelong learning, and economic self-sufficiency in culturally sensitive ways.

Orange County Psychological Association: Established in 1960, the Orange County Psychological Association is a chapter of the California Psychological Association. Its primary goal is to advance the field of psychology as a science and promote human welfare. The association aims to serve both the community and local psychologists.

Orange County Behavioral Health Advisory Board: The Orange County Behavioral Health Advisory Board serves as an official community body advocating for an accessible, appropriate, and effective behavioral health system. Comprised of 14 community leaders with a vested interest in mental health and substance use disorder services, along with one member from the Orange County Board of Supervisors, the board aims to promote prevention, intervention, recovery, and resiliency for individuals and families in need.

Community Health Initiative of Orange County: The Community Health Initiative of Orange County (CHIOC) aims to ensure healthcare accessibility and benefit for all residents, serving around 21,000 individuals annually. The organization's efforts target economic, language, and proximity barriers to prevent emergency-only medical care, especially for uninsured low-income families, thus impacting their quality of life and financial stability.

Mental Health Resources for Children

Continuing Care Placement Unit (CCPU) / Start Well OC - Phone: (714) 559-1264. Children and Youth Behavioral Health County staff implement consultation, treatment, and intensive case management for Social Services Agency youth in placement. Effective management of challenging behaviors of infants and preschool children up to five (5) years old in Early Childhood and Education (ECE) settings, particularly those exhibiting problematic behaviors and are at risk of mental illness.

School Readiness: School Readiness serves families with children from birth to age 8 who are exhibiting behavioral problems and emotional distress which places them at increased risk of developing a mental health condition and failing in school. These families often face issues related to crowded living conditions, neighborhoods affected by gangs and drugs, a history of violence in the family, and history of separation from loved ones. Many of the families served are also monolingual (i.e., Spanish, Vietnamese). 

The Priority Center (formerly known as The Child Abuse Prevention Center): The organization aims to provide life-changing programs to help individuals in crisis break the cycle of trauma. This includes preventing child abuse and neglect through early intervention, mental health services, and advocacy.

Women, Infants and Children (WIC) - 714-973-2411. The Orange County Health Care Agency WIC program provides supplemental food, nutrition education, breastfeeding support, and help finding health care and other community services for low to moderate-income pregnant, breastfeeding, and postpartum women and infants/children up to age 5 who are at nutritional risk.

Cherese Mari Laulhere Mental Health Inpatient Center: The Cherese Mari Laulhere Mental Health Inpatient Center caters exclusively to the treatment of children between the ages of 3 and 17 who are at immediate risk of self-harm or harming others due to mental illness.

Western Youth Services: The organization focuses on trauma-informed care for children, youth, and families, aiming to advance awareness, cultivate success, and strengthen communities through integrated mental health services for these groups. Call 888-312-0406 to get help. Email: gethelp@westernyouthservices.org

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