The following is a press release issued by Redwood Community Services:
Redwood Community Services is issuing this statement to clarify our Crisis Response process and legal obligations. Recently, there have been comments in social media and news outlets regarding our services that warrant explanation and clarification.
Our top priorities are providing empathetic, compassionate care for those in crisis, and ensuring the safety of our clients, staff, and the community. When someone contacts us experiencing a mental health crisis, our crisis workers immediately respond. We thoroughly evaluate for risk of harm to self or others, and determine appropriate next steps which may include:
– Voluntary referral to emergency services or hospitalization: If the individual is deemed an imminent danger to themselves or others, we may refer them to emergency services or hospitalization. This is an absolute last resort.
– Safety planning: Working with the individual to develop coping strategies and a plan to stay safe until the crisis has passed. We provide follow up to ensure the safety plan is effective.
– Counseling and support: For those not at immediate risk of harm, we provide counseling and support over the phone. We help de-escalate the crisis, process feelings, and connect people with additional resources.
– Referral to outpatient services: For ongoing support, we refer individuals to mental health and social services in the community.
RCS follows all laws, regulations, and policies set forth by the California Department of Health and Human Services and Mendocino County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services. This includes strict requirements around involuntary holds, known as 5150, which allow a person to be temporarily detained against their will if they are a danger to themselves or others due to a mental health condition. Involuntary holds can only be enacted by licensed professionals, require initial and ongoing assessments, and have maximum time limits set by law.
RCS aims to provide compassionate, ethical, and responsible crisis care. Our crisis responders are highly trained professionals focused on de-escalating crises, evaluating risks, and connecting individuals to appropriate resources. Safety, confidentiality, and building trust are top priorities. RCS cannot provide details on specific cases, to any individual or entity not included in a Release of Information, due to privacy laws but strives for collaboration to ensure Indvidual and public safety when applicable. In 2022, 8,968 Crisis services were provided totaling 14,233 hours of service.
RCS continues advocating for improved mental health resources and crisis response across Mendocino County. Through community partnerships, education, and a 24-hour crisis hotline, RCS works to strengthen the local crisis response system and build a more supportive community for those facing mental health challenges.
If you have a loved one or someone close to you accessing Crisis Response Services, this video will walk you through what these services look like and how you can be a support: https://tinyurl.com/h2bcks9z
For a safe & judgment-free place to talk in Mendocino County, call our 24/7 Crisis Line 855-838-0404
If they did their jobs according to what they are saying in this statement I wouldn’t be holding a memorial for my brother. They released him and within 24 hrs he was dead. He went asking for help. He clearly needed help and at his darkest hour they turned him away. Now we mourn a man that wanted help.
I’m very sorry too hear of your loss and pain. It is very true I seen the level of care they do not care for the clients,they are the face that their jobs are most important,if the client objects too abuses they will say it’s a volunteer program you don’t like how you are treated you can go, people who need help do not need to be tossed out over being called out for abuse.each client has a different story.they truly are only there for pay if there job isn’t made easy don’t let the hit you were the good lord split you. Greedy people with no true humanitarian ethics. Mostly the bosses in charge are bad. They do have some good employees just not in charge.
Ukiah branch bosses abuse their power and abuse mentally and legally. There is no real accountability as everybody is afraid to lose job so it’s swept under the rug. Money grabbing. Could be great as programs are scarce. Long as their is no accountability of abuses the clients rights will not be intact. Etc etc
I highly doubt that RCS used 14,233 hours in 2022 responding to crisis in Mendocino County. I also doubt RCS responded to nearly 9,000 crises. What exactly are you classifying as a crisis? Hours of ongoing therapy/treatment is not exactly crisis. Can someone provide the dollar amount for the contracts that RCS currently had with the county? I know it’s public and published. I just don’t know where to access that at. I just don’t understand how the county enters into these contracts for tens of millions of dollars and there is no oversight committee over the money.
Crisis is ongoing and needs treatment,psychosis is real and takes time too come down from. Trauma is stored in the nervous system. People can end up dead without treatment. These programs are valuable. I am a mental health patient my delusions are debilitating the couple times I had them,they lasted. Now there is abuse and money grabbing in these programs. Things do need to change. My c-ptsd is a real diagnosis,that’s what vets have c-ptsd. But yes there needs to be accountability for cash and patients well being and safety
You are absolutely the worst at your jobs abs services along with all so called mental health providers and medications and to not be listened to and understood is plain negligence over medications leading to dangerous falls and ruining clients brains and are unwilling to do anything different lies and more lies seriously you don’t seem to learn or do anything different so glad I don’t have to deal with any mental health services in mendo county and services should never involve mistreatment or make decisions about medical treatment when none are drs nps or neurologists you can’t even fill meds on time so don’t blame your clients blame yourselves
You are anything different lies and more lies seriously you don’t seem to learn or do anything different so glad I don’t have to deal with any mental health services in mendo county and services should never involve mistreatment or make decisions about medical treatment when none are drs nps or neurologists you can’t even fill meds on time
A client should always be told of side effects and given meds for tardive d at the very start should not have to request it 23 years later
And you won’t let me post either!!!!!