Berkeley Launches New Mental Health Crisis Response

BERKELEY, CA — People in Berkeley suffering a mental health or substance use crisis, and those attempting to help them, now have another option to get in-person professional support besides calling 911 and directly involving law enforcement, the city of Berkeley announced in a news release.

Berkeley's new Specialized Care Unit will be staffed by the mental health-focused nonprofit Bonita House and hopes to help those in crisis. The unit can be reached by calling (510) 948-0075 seven days a week from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m., the city said.

"With one phone call, trained staff will conduct an initial intake, assess whether there are immediate medical or safety concerns, and evaluate the crisis," the city said.

As long as there are no emergency medical concerns or potentially lethal weapons, instead of dispatching police, the call taker will send the Specialized Care Unit – a team comprised of a peer specialist, a mental health clinician and an emergency medical technician to the location of the crisis, the city said.

"After reaching the client, the team will first try to de-escalate the crisis and determine whether the person needs immediate medical help that might require paramedic support, such as evidence of a heart attack, stroke, or broken arm," the city explained "They will then continue to assess and stabilize the crisis, understand what the client says they need, develop a post-crisis plan, and assist with next steps."

The city said the goal is to "eventually build up this service to be available at any time, day or night."

According to the city, someone might seek help from the Specialized Care Unit for a variety of reasons including thoughts of suicide or self-harm, substance use concerns and even for depression or anxiety attacks.

"Someone needing to come down out of a drug-induced state might be transported to a nearby sobering center. Others might need transport to a housing navigation center or other community service provider," the city said, adding that its ultimate goal is to guide and transport people to post-crisis resources in a caring and compassionate way.

The Specialized Care Unit will serve all ages and respond to both public and private locations so those looking for assistance can call (510) 948-0075 during those hours or leave a voicemail if calling after hours and a team member will return the call.

People in crisis can also choose to call 911 during or after the care unit’s operational hours if they want to directly request police or paramedic support, the city said.