No one plans for a crisis to happen. But we’re here to help if it does.
The Crisis Services Division at Kern BHRS offers hope, support, and
resources to help individuals in our community begin their recovery journey.
There are several ways to get your or a loved one connected to services.
PEC/CSU
The Psychiatric Evaluation Center/Crisis Stabilization Unit
(PEC/CSU) provides immediate treatment for adults and
minors going through a mental health crisis. It is also serves as Bakersfield’s only designated non-EMS involuntary psychiatric evaluation facility.
Its goal is to help a person through their immediate crisis and
connect them to the right follow-up resources, which may include a referral to a higher level of care.
The PEC/CSU cannot write or fill prescriptions and does not provide medical services. PEC/CSU is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Crisis Hotline - 1-800-991-5272
The KernBHRS 24-hour Crisis Hotline acts a warmline for mental health/substance use concerns and provides a safe outlet for callers to voice/vent any frustrations with a trained hotline counselor without any judgement. All calls are free and completely confidential. Callers can also be linked to appropriate mental health and/or substance use disorder services as well as needed community resources.
Access & Assessment Center
For non-crisis situations, the Access and Assessment Center serves as the central point of contact for adults for the KernBHRS System of Care. Once a person comes in, our staff will conduct an assessment to determine your specific needs and connect you to the best treatment provider as well as any needed community resources.
Routine screenings and assessments for minors are not provided at Mary K. Shell Mental Health Center. For information about how to access non-emergency mental health services for minors, call the Crisis Hotline at 1-800-991-5272.
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The Access & Assessment Center is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., at the Mary K. Shell Mental Health Center. For more information, call 661-868-8123.
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Call 911 if the situation is a life - threatening emergency​
Mobile Crisis Response - 988 or 1-661-868-8200
Mobile Crisis Response (MCR) is made up of behavioral health professionals that offer immediate access to behavioral health services, substance use services, and crisis support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. These services are available to people of all ages, and in any language. For more information, click HERE.
Telecommunications Relay Service: 711
Options for deaf and hard of hearing: For TTY users, use your preferred relay service or dial 711-then 1-800-991-5272.
Other Services/Resources
Mobile Evaluation Team
The Mobile Evaluation Team (MET) is dispatched by law enforcement when a behavioral health crisis is identified in the community. MET provides crisis intervention, voluntary and involuntary assessment for psychiatric hospitalization, and connections to behavioral health services and community resources for minors, adults, senior adults, and veterans in our community.
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In addition, MET provides briefings to Kern County hospitals and law enforcement., and collaborates with law enforcement to provide Crisis Intervention Training for peace officers and county training for 5150 Certification (involuntary psychiatric hospitalization).
Care Coordination Unit
The Care Coordination Unit (CCU) serves as the representative for the Mental Health Plan, coordinating services with Managed Care Plans. Our goal is to assist our clients and system of care teams to ensure that clients are coordinated with the services they require—both within our system of care and outside our system of care.
CCU tracks and monitors clients’ access to services and ensures they are connected to the appropriate level of service upon discharge. CCU works closely with the entire system of care, contracted service providers, and community providers to provide care management for the behavioral health system of care.
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.
Crisis Case Management Outreach (CCMO)
Crisis Access Point provides screening and linkage services for adults entering the system of care through an acute psychiatric hospitalization. Services are recovery-oriented and include assessment, intensive case management, medication support, individual therapy, and substance use disorder treatment. Linkage is provided to outpatient mental health teams and community providers.
Freise Hope House Liaisons provide screening, linkage, and brief case management for individuals entering the system of care through a stay at the Freise Hope House (FHH). Services are recovery-oriented and include assessment, intensive case management, medication support, individual therapy and substance use disorder treatment. Linkage is provided to outpatient mental health teams and community providers. FHH is a short-term, voluntary, mental health crisis residential program, licensed by the State of California and run by Crestwood Behavioral Health Inc.
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Adult Wraparound provides distinct services through inpatient and outpatient programs for adults currently served by the system of care. The inpatient program provides one-time hospital discharge planning assistance at the request of the primary treatment team. The outpatient program provides 6-8 weeks of intensified mental health services at the direction of the primary team. Wraparound services are intended to augment mental health services provided by primary outpatient teams and to reduce crises and hospitalizations through intensified case management/linkage, interventions, and individual counseling.