Orange County Mental Health and Substance Use Resources Guide for Residents

Nearly three million people call Orange County home, and according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, more than one in five U.S. adults experiences a mental illness each year. Orange County is no exception, and the impact extends beyond individual health, affecting families, employers and the regional economy through lost productivity and rising healthcare costs. Whether you are navigating a personal crisis, supporting a loved one, or looking to connect with professional resources, this guide maps the county's full spectrum of behavioral health services, from 24-hour hotlines to residential treatment campuses.

Your first call: OC Links

For most residents, the best starting point is a single phone number. OC Links provides 24/7 information and linkage to any of the OC Health Care Agency's Behavioral Health Services programs, ranging from prevention to crisis response, via phone and chat. If you are concerned about someone experiencing a psychiatric crisis, or if you are uninsured and looking for mental health services, OC Links can be reached at (855) 625-4657 around the clock, seven days a week. If CalOptima is your Medi-Cal insurance provider, their dedicated Behavioral Health line at (855) 877-3885 also offers screening and referrals 24 hours a day.

For non-emergency navigation assistance, OC Navigator (ocnavigator.org) helps connect residents with health, wellness, and other resources and is available in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese.

Crisis services: What's available around the clock

Orange County has a comprehensive array of crisis services that operate 24/7, every day of the year, designed to support individuals of all ages who are experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, a behavioral health emergency. These programs range from telephone-based prevention through intensive crisis support provided in the home, a residential setting, a crisis stabilization unit, or anywhere in the community.

Specific programs include the Crisis Assessment Team (CAT), Crisis Stabilization Unit (CSU), Crisis Residential, In-Home Crisis Stabilization for Children, Transitional Aged Youth, and Adults, and the Crisis Hotline. The goal is to provide peer and clinical support so that a person may continue living safely in the community when appropriate, or to facilitate admission to a psychiatric hospital or crisis stabilization unit when a higher level of care is needed.

Key crisis contacts include:

• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call, text, or chat 988 for 24/7 judgment-free support for anyone in suicidal crisis, experiencing mental health or substance abuse emergencies, or in emotional distress.
• NAMI OC WarmLine: A free and confidential telephone service providing emotional support and resources to Orange County residents, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Call or text (714) 991-6412, or call toll-free at (877) 910-9276.
• UCI Psychiatric Emergency: UCI's psychiatric emergency line at (714) 456-5801 provides a 24-hour screening service.
• College Hospital Crisis Response Team: Available 24 hours at (1-800) 773-8001.
• ETS Evaluation and Treatment Services: Reachable at (714) 834-6900 for 24-hour service.
• Didi Hirsch Suicide Prevention: (714) 547-0885, available Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Be Well OC: The county's flagship behavioral health campuses

Be Well OC was launched in 2019 to offer a community-based alternative integrating crisis response, residential treatment, and navigation services. That initiative traces its roots to 2015, when the Orange County Board of Supervisors began rethinking the county's mental health system. The effort evolved into a public-private partnership led by Mind OC, the nonprofit formed to coordinate the Be Well OC model, and eventually opened a campus in Orange in 2021.

The original Be Well OC Orange Campus can be reached for non-crisis inquiries at (949) 749-2500. A call center staffed with nurses and navigation experts answered more than 3,200 calls in a recent year, helping individuals access services and supporting Be Well's clinical providers. In 2025, Be Well's Mobile Crisis Response Team completed 16,800 services, logged 8,650 hours, and provided more than 900 transports. Notably, 71 percent of calls were handled without involving Emergency Medical Services, saving law enforcement approximately 2,400 hours.

The Be Well OC Irvine Campus is the county's most significant new behavioral health investment in a generation. As OC Board of Supervisors Vice Chairman Doug Chaffee stated, "Orange County is leading the way in Behavioral Health with the expansion of Be Well OC, co-locating mental health care and substance use disorder services all under one roof — something not yet done in the state." The new Irvine campus has approximately 75,000 square feet of building space featuring a crisis urgent care for adults and adolescents, a sobering center, residential treatment for adults, and outpatient programming, with total funding reaching $118 million supported by county, state, federal, and philanthropic sources.

Area 1 delivers crisis and adult services, providing 96 beds spanning adult and adolescent crisis stabilization, a sobering center, withdrawal management, and short-term residential mental health and substance use treatment, along with a Welcome and Community Care Center, a commercial kitchen and café, and space planned for a future child and youth intensive outpatient clinic. Area 2 adds 56 beds for adolescent substance use treatment and perinatal residential care, supporting mothers and their young children. Services will be available to all Orange County residents, regardless of insurance type or ability to pay.

Substance use disorder services

Alcohol and substance use treatment in Orange County provides a range of outpatient and residential programs designed to reduce or eliminate the abuse of alcohol and other drugs. These programs include SUD treatment at levels of care such as outpatient, intensive outpatient, withdrawal management (social model and medical detox), residential treatment, and aftercare and recovery services.

Treatment placement decisions follow the criteria established by the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM). Medi-Cal members are already eligible for these services if they need them, with no additional enrollment required. Most behavioral health and substance use treatment services in Orange County are covered under insurance, including Medi-Cal and private plans. If you have private insurance, call the member services number on your insurance card to confirm coverage and find in-network providers.

For co-occurring conditions, many individuals in Orange County face the challenge of co-occurring disorders where mental illness and substance use overlap. This dual diagnosis requires integrated care addressing both conditions together. Specialized programs ensure individuals receive comprehensive support tailored to their needs, helping manage symptoms, prevent relapse, and achieve lasting recovery.

NAMI Orange County: Free education and peer support

NAMI Orange County conducts free educational programs, meetings, and support groups throughout the entire county, addressing many different aspects of mental health. The organization's mission is to provide emotional support, education, and resources for families and those affected by mental illness, advocating for a life of quality and dignity. NAMI OC's administrative office is located at 16480 S. Harbor Blvd., Suite 101, Fountain Valley, and can be reached at (714) 544-8488.

Key NAMI OC programs include:

• Family-to-Family (F2F): A no-cost, 8-week educational program for loved ones of those living with a mental health condition to improve their coping and problem-solving abilities.
• Basics: A no-cost, 6-week education program for parents and family of children and teens experiencing symptoms of a mental health condition or who have a diagnosis.
• Connection Recovery Support Group: A no-cost support group for adults living with a mental health condition, led by NAMI-trained facilitators with lived experience.
• Peer-to-Peer: A 10-week educational program for individuals with a mental illness looking to better understand their condition and journey toward recovery.

NAMI OC support groups are for individuals 18 years and older who are family members, caregivers, or people living with a mental health condition, held in a casual and confidential environment where sharing and caring is the focus. No registration is required prior to attending, and all groups are provided at no cost.

Children, youth, and family resources

Children, Youth and Prevention Behavioral Health Services can be reached between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. at (714) 834-5015 for families seeking services for minors. The Be Well OC Orange Campus also operates a dedicated Children's Crisis Stabilization Unit (CSU), a unit running 24 hours a day, seven days a week for children ages 13 to 17 who are experiencing acute distress brought on by mental health challenges, social stressors, or substance abuse.

Connect-OC brings mental health resources currently available throughout Orange County for teens and young adults together in one place at connect-oc.org. For children's inpatient and intensive outpatient psychiatric care, CHOC (Children's Hospital of Orange County) offers programs through its mental health division at choc.org.

Navigating the system: Practical tips

Finding the right entry point matters. Here is a straightforward path depending on your situation:

The county's stated mission is to prevent substance use and mental health disorders; when signs are present, to intervene early and appropriately; and when assessments indicate that treatment is required, to provide the right type of treatment, at the right place, by the right person or program to help individuals achieve and maintain the highest quality of health and wellness. With a new $118 million campus now serving south county alongside the original Orange location, that system has more capacity today than at any point in the county's history.