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Behavioral Health

Transforming Lives and Improving Futures

El Dorado County Behavioral Health is a Division of the Health & Human Services Agency (HHSA)

 

​What's New & Resources

​NOTICE TO CONSUMERS OF EL DORADO COUNTY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES:

**CHANGES ARE BEING MADE TO THE EL DORADO COUNTY

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES (EDCBH) BENEFICIARY HANDBOOK**

UPDATED BENEFICIARY HANDBOOKS ARE NOW AVAILABLE

HANDBOOKS AVAILABLE BY REQUEST OR THROUGH OUR WEBSITE LINKS BELOW

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO REVIEW MHSA THREE-YEAR PLAN – The El Dorado County Board of Supervisors will review the Behavioral Health Division’s Draft FY 2023-2026 Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) Three-Year Program and Expenditure Plan at their scheduled meeting on May 9, 2023. This Plan provides county stakeholders with an overview of the direction of Behavioral Health services for the next three years, and reports on existing MHSA projects and services.

El Dorado County Behavioral Health is proud to offer services to all members of our community regardless of their ability to pay. Discounts for essential mental health services are offered based on family size and income. For more information, please call or visit us in person:

  • EDC Behavioral Health, 768 Pleasant Valley Rd, #201, Diamond Springs, CA (530) 621-6290

  • EDC Behavioral Health, 1900 South Lake Tahoe Blvd, South Lake Tahoe, CA (530) 573-7970 

The Universal Method for Determining Ability to Pay (UMDAP) form is available by clicking here, or physically at all of the above locations.

 

​Finding Help in a Crisis

​Are you or someone you know in a crisis? Do you need help immediately? To determine if this is a crisis, answer these questions honestly:

Have I, my friend, or a loved one... 

  • Been thinking or talking about, actively planning or attempting suicide?

  • Been unable to manage basic self care (eating, bathing, dressing, etc)?

  • Been in, or currently in, a dangerous abusive situation? If children are involved, are they in danger?

  • Exhibited bizarre behavior, heard voices, seen things that aren't there or expressed uncontrollable anger?

  • Abused alcohol or drugs to a degree that causes imminent danger?

  • If you answered "yes" to one or more questions, call any resource listed below:  

Hotlines and Crisis Intervention

  • 24-HOUR Psychiatric Emergency Services
    • Placerville: (530) 622-3345
    • South Lake Tahoe: (530) 544-2219

  • National Suicide Prevention Lifeline - 1-(800) 273-8255

  • Sexual Assault & Domestic Violence: 24 Hour Crisis Line (530) 626-1131 (West Slope)

  • Live Violence Free: 24 Hour Crisis Line (530) 544-4444 (South Lake Tahoe)

​Adult Services

Outpatient Clinic: Individualized services are provided to adults 18 years and older who meet the criteria for Specialty Mental  Health Services by an multidisciplinary team of qualified and compassionate professionals, including Psychiatrists, Nurses, Mental Health Clinicians, Substance Use Disorder Staff, and Mental Health Workers/Aides. Services may include screening and assessments, referrals, medical evaluation, co-occurring assessment and treatment groups, individual, group, family and case management services.

Wellness Center:  Due to COVID, the Wellness Centers are open only for current clients and volunteers.  Please ask your Case Manager when you can attend.  The Wellness Centers provide a welcoming environment free of stigma, where clients and community members can socialize and gain a variety of personal skills, including cooking and meal preparation, peer support and groups that focus on managing behavioral health symptoms. Wellness Centers are located at our office sites in Diamond Springs and South Lake Tahoe. 

Intensive Case Management (ICM): Intensive outpatient mental health services are provided by a multidisciplinary team that consists of Mental Health Clinicians, Mental Health Workers/Aides, Psychiatric Technician, and Resource Specialist. The customized array of services provided are designed to prevent hospitalization, and assist individuals in attaining a life that does not revolve around their mental health diagnosis. The ICM Team also provides support and services to people living in any of the four Transitional Houses on the West Slope and one Transitional Houses in South Lake Tahoe.

Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT): AOT services provide for limited term, court-ordered outpatient mental health treatment for individuals who meet strict criteria as defined by State law. The individual must be 18 years of age or older, have a severe and chronic mental illness, and have a history of non-compliance with mental health treatment. Additionally, at least twice within the last 36 months, the individual must have been hospitalized due to their mental illness or in a mental health unit of a State or local correctional facility (excluding the most recent event), or the individual's mental illness has resulted in one or more acts of serious and violent behavior toward himself or herself or another, or threats, or attempts to cause serious physical harm to himself or herself or another within the last 48 months. Referrals may be made by family, household members, medical and mental health providers, community based organizations, hospitals, law enforcement, or a Superior Court judge. Individuals in the AOT program are provided with ICM-level services, however the program cannot require medications to be taken or involuntary hospitalizations. The AOT Referral Form can be submitted to the Health and Human Services Agency Behavioral Health Division via email at AOT@edcgov.us, via fax to (530) 303-1526, or via mail to EDC HHSA, ATTN: AOT Team, 768 Pleasant Valley Road, Suite 201, Diamond Springs, CA 95619.

Please call (530) 621-6290 for questions about services. 

Children’s Services

All Behavioral Health services for children are provided in the community by Contract Providers. Children who meet the requirements for Specialty Mental Health are referred to one of the Children’s Contract Providers.  Assessments are completed by County Behavioral Health and referred with a 30-day authorization for Treatment Planning. Referrals may come from parents, schools, Child Protective Services and medical clinics.

Please call (530) 621-6290 for questions about services.

​Community Education

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA)

This is an evidence-based training that introduces participants to risk factors and warning signs of mental health problems, builds understanding of their impact, and provides an overview of common treatments. Two programs are available: Mental Health First Aid focuses on risk-factors and mental illness in adults, and Youth Mental Health First Aid focuses on risk-factors and mental illness in youth ages 12 - 18. Contact Stephanie Carlson via email or at (530) 621-6130 for more information.

NAMI
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) provides awareness, education and support to encourage hope, health and positive change in the community’s mental health system. NAMI offers classes on topics such as:

  • Peer-to-Peer Training

  • NAMI Basics Education

  • Family-to-Family

  • In Our Own Voice

For more information, please contact NAMI at http://namieldoradocounty.org or via email or at (530) 306-4101

Bipolar Insights Bipolar Insights offers support and education services. Donations may be requested for some services or groups. For more information, visit the Bipolar Insights website. ​

Bipolar Insights
Bipolar Insights offers support and education services. Donations may be requested for some services or groups. For more information, visit the Bipolar Insights website.    

Psychiatric Emergency Services and Hotline

This service provides the public with 24/7 access to crisis staff. Crisis staff responds over the phone or through a contracted answering service. Crisis staff may be called to complete crisis assessments, most often in the Emergency Room at Marshall and Barton Hospitals after the individual is medically cleared by the hospital. A Mental Health Assessment is conducted with input from emergency staff, family members and/or close friends when the client agrees, and if available, to ascertain the best least restrictive level of care that is appropriate for the individual. Services can range from referrals to community resources, support, problem solving and crisis management.

Please call (530) 622-3345 on the West Slope and (530) 544-2219 in South Lake Tahoe. 

Psychiatric Health Facility

The Telecare El Dorado County Psychiatric Health Facility (PHF) is a 24-hour, 7-day a week community-based locked intensive inpatient psychiatric treatment program for people 18 years and older experiencing an acute mental health crisis. The program is designed to stabilize the current crisis and assist the client’s return to a less restrictive setting. This recovery-oriented treatment program provides a safe and secure environment to pursue wellness and recovery. Treatment is guided by recovery principles and tailored to the needs of each client, and may include individual and/or group therapy, skills development, education activities, occupational therapy, family therapy, recreational and exercise programs.

Clients are referred to the PHF from a hospital Emergency Room setting after being medically cleared for services and meeting the Welfare and Institution Code §5150 requirements. 

The Psychiatric Health Facility is located at: 
935-B Spring Street 
Placerville, CA 95667 
(530) 621-6210 

For additional information, please visit Telecare Corporation's web page.

Substance Use Disorder Services

​Substance Use Disorder Services offers education, prevention, treatment and counseling services for people struggling with alcohol and other drugs. Services are offered directly and through contracts with community agencies. Call (530) 621-6290 or visit the Substance Use Disorder Services web page for more information

Additional Resources​

Authorization for Release of Information (ROI)

​What is a Grievance? (English) - ¿Qué es una Queja? (Español)​

Grievance Form (English) - Forma para Presentar Qugas (Español) 

​Appeal Form (English)​ - ​​Forma de Apelación (Español​)

​Change of Clinician Form (English) - Solicitud para Cambiar de Cosejero (Español​)

Beneficiary Handbook - Manual de beneficiario de plan de salud mental

Provider Directory - Directorio de Proveedores de Medi-cal

Other Resources:

​Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT) Referral ​

Historical Information Form (AB 1424)

National Alliance Mental Illness (NAMI)
NAMI El Dorado County or call 530-306-4101 

Historical Information Form 

The Historical Information Form allows clients, family members and/or support network members to provide law enforcement, medical personnel and/or mental health providers with information about an individual’s mental health diagnosis and needs in a standardized format. Once completed, the form may be submitted to a health care or mental health provider and/or submitted to law enforcement in the event an individual is involved in a psychiatric emergency. Please contact Nicole Cable, Manager of Mental Health Programs, at (530) 621-6322 if you have questions. To download the form, click here.

​Psychiatric Emergency Response Team (PERT)

​The PERT team is a partnership between El Dorado County Behavioral Health and El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office on the West Slope of the County. The PERT team consists of an El Dorado County Mental Health Clinician and an El Dorado County Sheriff Deputy. PERT meets the individual where they are at within the County jurisdiction. PERT provides emergency assessment, intervention and referral to individuals experiencing a mental health crisis. PERT services are intended to stabilize and resource a crisis in the field to reduce unnecessary incarceration or hospitalization.

When the West Slope dispatch center receives a call from either 911 or non-emergency lines, and identifies the caller has a mental health-related need, the call is referred to PERT.  This could be people making suicidal statements or threats, displaying concerning behavior, making a suicide attempt in progress, concerned parties calling on behalf of someone, etc. where mental illness is reported or suspected as a contributing factor.

In the event non-PERT deputies arrive at a call that was not identified as a mental health-related need and later identify a mental health-related need, the deputy on scene will contact dispatch and request PERT assistance.

To request PERT assistance, call 911 or (530) 621-5655 (530) 621-6600.  Be sure to have the name, date of birth, address and summary of concern ready to provide to the dispatcher. The dispatcher will also ask your name, relation to the individual you are calling on behalf of and your call back number. Be sure to ask for PERT to respond. If PERT is not available, request a CIT-trained deputy.