As San Bernardino County continues to push through the COVID-19 pandemic, special response teams have been deployed all over the county to address the mental health needs of residents navigating the pandemic. Cassidy Zimarik reports.
It’s scary isn’t it? A pandemic and the uncertainty that comes with it. In these unprecedented times, San Bernardino County has deployed community response teams specifically trained to handle mental health needs while we all navigate through the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Some of their training is based off of disaster response and mental health combined”
That’s Dora Mejia, a Medical Emergency Planning Specialist with the county who has been part of a behavioral health team that goes to every COVID-19 testing clinic to ask an important question, “How are you?”
“Every once in a while we still get people that are very anxious going through the clinic, they don’t feel safe, that’s just because of their environment, they feel like anywhere they go, they’re going to be exposed to the virus”
The team wants to make it clear that you are not alone, and it is normal to feel overwhelmed and anxious. You can reach out to the Morongo Basin Community Response Team for mental health services daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. by calling 760-499-4429.
For all county information on the COVID-19 pandemic: http://sbcovid19.com/
If you need to begin behavioral health services, please call the County Department of Behavioral Health access line at 888-743-1478.
Individuals with preexisting mental health conditions should continue with their treatment and be aware of new or worsening symptoms. Additional information and resources can be found on the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website.
The Disaster Distress Helpline is available 24 hours a day and is answered by trained crisis counselors who can support you or someone you care about who may be feeling distress related to COVID-19. Call 800-985-5990 or text “TalkWithUs” to 66746.
Local crisis services are available by the County Department of Behavioral Health at wp.sbcounty.gov/dbh/crisis-services. You may also call the Community Response Team that is in your area, open every day from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.:
West Valley (Covering Fontana to Chino Hills)
(909) 458-1517
East Valley (Covering Yucaipa, Redlands, Loma Linda, Colton, San Bernardino, Bloomington, East Fontana)
(909) 421-9233
High Desert (Covering Victorville, Hesperia, Apple Valley, Phelan, Adelanto, Lucerne Valley, Barstow)
(760) 956-2345
Morongo Basin
(760) 499-4429
