Be Well OC in Huntington Beach
Did you know? One in 5 adults experiences a mental health crisis, and nearly 60% of them do not receive the proper assistance that is needed to heal and thrive.
In Huntington Beach, the City receives 15,000 calls for service each year involving mental health, substance abuse, and similar crises. Be Well OC in Huntington Beach (BWOC) is a Mobile Crisis Response Team, composed of two Crisis Counselors who drive to your location and provide in-community assessment and stabilization services.
The teams are well-trained and experienced in providing appropriate information, referrals, transportation to services, and additional follow-up support and case management - to help address mental health related situations.
Be Well OC in Huntington Beach is prepared to help with a variety of non-emergency and non-medical, public assistance situations that have historically been handled by the Huntington Beach Police Department (HBPD). For many of those scenarios, Be Well OC in Huntington Beach is better equipped to de-escalate and assist these situations:
- Mental health crisis
- Suicidal ideation
- Public assistance
- Non-domestic violence family disputes
- Drug and alcohol abuse/addiction
- Welfare checks
- Death notification
- Homelessness, with the Huntington Beach Homeless Task Force
BWOC is staffed through Be Well Orange County, an innovative organization that leverages the nationally-recognized CAHOOTS crisis response model to help improve outcomes for those in need, lower overall costs for the community, and support law enforcement and EMS, so they can focus on calls where they are needed most urgently.
For more details, please read our FAQ!
Need Support? Let Us reach Out To You.
You're not alone. Hope is here.
Anyone living in Huntington Beach - regardless of income, location, health insurance status, or any other factor - can request our services, if they're experiencing a non-emergency mental health, substance abuse, and other non-medical crisis.
- To request non-emergency services, call the Huntington Beach Police Department's non-emergency line at (714) 960-8825.
- If experiencing a life threatening emergency, call 911.
HBPD's dispatchers have been trained to triage calls received through 911 and the non-emergency line and assess whether BWOC would be best suited to respond. In addition to confirming that the callers' needs match the services rendered by BWOC, they will also confirm the situation is non violent, non-criminal, and does not involve weapons.
Based upon the situation and availability, Be Well may be dispatched to your location. When BWOC arrives, you will meet a team of 2 trained crisis counselors skilled in de-escalation. Together, they can help address the emotional and social well-being of the client.
Data Collection
To mark the first year of Be Well OC in Huntington Beach, the City has released a comprehensive report highlighting calls for service numbers, response data, and successes.
The City is carefully gathering data to measure program outcomes and impacts on mental health issues in Huntington Beach. Monthly data reports will be released on this website to help our residents gain a better understanding of this comprehensive program.
August 2021 - February 2023 Data Dashboard
Be Well 101
The City has partnered with Be Well OC to conduct two virtual Town Hall events that explores the goals and functions of the Be Well OC in Huntington Beach Team.
Understanding Mental Health
Challenges related to mental health affect 1 in 5 adults, yet stigma makes it difficult to seek proper care and treatment. At the City of Huntington Beach, we believe that mental health is just as important as physical health and are committed to providing all of our residents with greater access to proper care and a supportive environment. Health and hope happen in HB.
If you or a loved one is experiencing a mental health crisis, please call 911 (for emergencies) or the HBPD non-emergency line at (714) 960-8825.
Warning Signs of Mental Illness
Mental Health Resources
For information about mental health services and other supportive resources in Orange County, please
visit:
- Be Well Orange County
- HB Homeless Solutions
- Orange County Mental Health
- Stigma Free OC
For More Information:
For general information about Be Well OC in Huntington Beach, please email [email protected].
For general information about Be Well OC, please call (949) 749-2501.
- Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm (PST)
- Calls received after hours will be returned the next day.
Did you know?
Zoning Administrator meetings are held on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of each month. Meeting Agendas, Action Agendas, and Minutes are available to view online.
