6 hours Ago By Ana Torrea
KINGS COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- A critical service is now in place to help support mental health in Kings County. "We have a very small community, we have very few resources," says Kings View Clinical Director Lisa Rogers.
"Between the local ER and law enforcement, our ability to take on these mental health calls reduces the burden within other resources within the community." Just last month, the Kings County Behavioral Health Department launched a Mobile Crisis Unit and a Behavioral Health Call Center. The goal is to help people who are suffering from a mental health crisis or to provide resources for those looking to share the information with a loved one.
"We're getting a lot more calls in both for crisis and also for folks that are just looking for mental health services and needing a place to turn to figure out where they need to be," Rogers said. County health leaders say so far, about 10 percent or less of the calls that come in are people going through crisis. The call center line is open 24/7 and can also provide a welcoming ear.
"We've never had anything like this before, so it's a new process that our community members are getting used to," says Dr. Lisa Lewis. Funding for the program came through state grants, and planning for these services has been in the works since 2022.
The county is partnering with Kings View on this program. The Mobile Crisis Unit is made up of two people who are trained in areas that range from de-escalation to risk evaluation. They're able to go in, they know their roles and responsibilities once they get on scene," Rogers said.
Dr. Lisa Lewis says a small team helps make the process less intimidating. County leaders hope to eventually expand their outreach by increasing their mobile crisis team.
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