We hope that you will see that Behavioral Health and Recovery Services is a high quality county department. We utilize many well-respected evidence-based approaches, and are constantly working to improve our ability to serve people of multiple cultures or having complex problems. However what we really hope comes through on our website is that we believe that individuals with mental illnesses or addictions can recover and rejoin us as members of a thriving community. To be a successful department, we always start with hope. Whether you are an individual looking for help, a family member seeking understanding for a loved one, or even a professional looking for a place to work, we are glad you started here. There is recovery and hope available, and we invite you to join us on that journey.
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Services Offered
Mental Health Services Offered:
Support Groups: These are groups of CalWORKs participants who are struggling with the same kinds of issues that you are. Together, the group assists members in overcoming shared obstacles that are contributing to each person's mental health issues.
Individual Therapy: One-to-one counseling with a licensed therapist is available for some participants. Please note that availability of individual therapy is limited and your Recovery Specialist will discuss whether this type of counseling is appropriate for you.
Substance Abuse Services Offered:
Denial Management Group: This group assists people who are uncertain if their substance use is a problem to become more clear about the impact of substances on their lives.
Education Group: People in this group learn about the effects of drugs and alcohol on the mind, body, and lifestyle.
Skill-Building Group: This group provides healthy coping skills for people to utilize rather than using drugs and/or alcohol.
Men's and Women's Process Groups: These gender-specific groups allow discussion and processing of similar experiences that occur as people are becoming clean and sober from drugs and/or alcohol.
Relapse Prevention Group: This group provides support and specific skills to assist people who have become clean and sober from going back to using drugs and/or alcohol.
Individual Counseling: A certified Substance Abuse Specialist is available to provide one-to-one counseling to assist people in becoming and staying clean and sober.
Adult System of Care Each population center in Kern County has a geographically located service provider with resources to provide a wide range of behavioral health services. These services may include: -Medication -Individual and Group Counseling -Rehabilitation and Recovery Services -Access to Needed Resources -Family Counseling -And a variety of diagnostic and advocacy services
All of these services are provided in the community near where you live. These are the services that the Kern County MHP thinks are most likely to help people who need services from us. Sometimes other services may be needed, they will be provided based on individual needs.
Crisis Services
CRISIS ADDICTION COUNSELING Crisis Addiction Counseling (CAC) is an early recovery program for any adult who wants to stop using alcohol or drugs. The program lasts 12 weeks and participants are awarded a certificate after completion. The program includes 3 groups a week: Process, Psycho-education, and Life-skills; with individual counseling on request.
Children's System of Care
The Children's System of Care including contracted Medi-cal providers, provides mental health and substance abuse services and the resources necessary to promote wellness and recovery for Kern County children and their families. Kern County Mental Health provides services that are consumer centered, racially and culturally appropriate, flexible, with a focus on individual/family's strengths, to promote positive peer and professional relationships, and incorporate each individual/family's natural support system within the treatment process.
Services may include, but are not limited to: -Screening / Triage -Assessment -Psychiatric Services -Medication Management -Medication Support -Psychological Testing -Individual, Group, and/or Family Therapy -Psychoeducation -Individual/Group Rehabilitation Services -Social Skills Groups -Targeted Case Management
Evidence based treatment services such as Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Functional Family Therapy (FFT), and Aggression Replacement Training (ART) may be provided to some families. All services are provided in the client's preferred language.
Fees and Payment
This is a nonprofit organization.
Services Offered To: Adults Couples Teens Children
Special Groups: Faith-Based
Payment: Sliding Scale
If You Call, Please Let Us Know How it Went:
Were You Able to Make an Appointment?
One quick last question. Who was seeking counseling today?
Do you know the reason they are not accepting clients?
Qualifying for assistance from California's program usually depends on the severity of your condition and financial circumstance. Read our full guide to California's program.
A community counseling agency is a group therapy practice that offers affordable mental health services. Most are independent non-profit agencies, state agencies, or publicly-funded agencies. A few may restrict who is eligible for services, so it is a good idea to check when you call.
Community counseling agencies are generally more affordable than other therapy providers, but how much more affordable they are will depend on whether you qualify for a discount or sliding scale fee (or if they accept your insurance). Many, but not all, have a policy that they won't turn away anyone due to inability to pay. You should ask about their fees when you first call.
Expect to talk to kind people who want to help you find the care you need. Most community agencies strive to connect you with a live person within 24 hours, if not immediately. If you're asked to hold or leave a message, don't give up; just leave a message and wait. You should hear back pretty quickly.
Most agencies try to set up an initial assessment appointment within a week (some do within 24 hours), though the waitlist to start therapy is usually longer—about a few weeks on average. If you're not eligible or if the agency is not right for you, it's usually still worth it to call or drop in, because staff are knowledgeable about local options and can often refer you to one.