Sonoma County is set to expand its Mobile Crisis Units program, a move approved by the Board of Supervisors just in time for the New Year. These specialized teams, consisting of trained professionals adept at handling emergencies without a law enforcement badge, will be deployed swiftly to urban scenes within an hour and rural areas within two hours. Each unit includes mental health experts, a crisis intervention specialist, and a practitioner licensed in substance use or mental health.

The program, which has been deemed successful in its pilot phase, received praise from Supervisor Chris Coursey, who highlighted the effectiveness of dedicated specialist teams in managing non-violent mental health crises. This initiative isn't confined to Sonoma County alone; it aligns with a statewide directive from California's Department of Health Care Services, mandating integrating mobile crisis services into the Medi-Cal program, per the County of Sonoma Department of Health Services.

Sonoma County's Behavioral Health Division has been a trailblazer since 2012, dispatching mobile crisis teams throughout the region. Various cities have established their response teams, funded by Measure O—a public-backed quarter-cent sales tax for mental health and homelessness services. Notable teams include Sonoma's Mobile Support Team, Santa Rosa's inRESPONSE team, the Southern Comfort team (Specialized Assistance for Everyone or SAFE), and Healdsburg PD's Community-Oriented and Equity (CORE) team. These teams aim to address behavioral health and substance use crises with the goal of reducing emergency room visits and psychiatric hospital stays.

A significant development on the horizon is the establishment of a centralized crisis call center. This 24/7 hub will receive distress calls, categorize them, and dispatch the appropriate response team to any crisis in the county. Individuals needing assistance can dial the crisis hotline at 800-746-8181 to access these services promptly.