Over the last several years, it has become very clear to me that access to mental health services is one of the highest priority issues amongst residents of the First District. As many have said before me, years of catastrophic fires and the pandemic exacerbated an already rising trend, particularly for our youth and older adults.
With this in mind, I host a regular meeting that brings together mental health providers in the Sonoma Valley, with additional participation from the Department of Health Services and their Behavioral Health Division. At a recent meeting, we heard an update on the Mobile Support Team (MST), which is a program in the county’s Behavioral Health Division with teams of mental health professionals who respond to emergency calls that do not involve law enforcement. Some might not be aware, but the Mobile Support Team has actually been in operation since 2012, though it has evolved and expanded over time. Today, the MST is available countywide, 24 hours a day, seven days a week – an incredible development that will greatly improve the services we provide to those experiencing mental health crises in our county. In past iterations, the MST was only available during certain hours of the day and only to certain geographic areas of the county. Additionally today, per state requirements, the MST must meet response times of within 60 minutes to urban crisis calls and 120 minutes to rural crisis calls anywhere in Sonoma County, which the MST complies with as part of a partnership with other city-centered mobile crisis response programs including Santa Rosa’s inRESPONSE team and South County’s Specialized Assistance for Everyone or SAFE team.
If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health emergency, you can call the Mobile Support Team hotline at 1-800-746-8181.
The recent expansion of the MST has come in part with the allocation of $4 million in Measure O funds, approved earlier this summer by the Board of Supervisors. Measure O is a quarter-cent sales tax that was approved by voters in 2020, with the purpose of support mental health and homeless services in Sonoma County.
Looking at the larger network of services in my district, I want to be sure to mention the Mobile Support Team is not the only mental health resource available to residents of the Sonoma Valley. Organizations like the Hanna Center and R.I.S.K., in addition to services provided by our schools, the Sonoma Valley Hospital, and the Sonoma Valley Community Health Center, as well as our local providers serving homeless residents, seniors, and more, comprise a network or “hub” of support for those in the Sonoma Valley in need of a range of mental health services. Historically, however, these organizations have not been able to attract as much funding from the county when competing with those more centrally located in our cities along the Highway 101 corridor. I was particularly frustrated when a large group of Sonoma Valley organizations came together to apply for American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding just a few years ago to support their collective efforts to provide mental health services, at which time they received no funding.
Despite my frustration with the lack of funding received overall for mental health services in the Sonoma Valley, I see the expansion of the Mobile Support Team as a step in the right direction, and I will continue to advocate for greater county investment in the geographically isolated corners of the First District. The MST will have a positive impact on so many residents of the First District seeking help in times of crisis. As we enter the height of this year’s fire season, please make sure to look out for friends, family, neighbors, and yourself, and make sure to ask for help when you need it.
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