The mission of the Correctional Mental Health Team is to provide quality mental health evaluation and treatment to those significantly mentally ill adults within the County’s correctional facilities.
ABOUT US
Correctional Mental Health (CMH) provides mental health services to inmates with mental illness in the County’s five correctional facilities. CMH places primary emphasis on the stabilization of severe mental disorders, suicide prevention and crisis intervention. Inmates are viewed in a holistic fashion with careful attention to the possible influence of physical problems on the inmate's psychiatric condition. While Correctional Mental Health is not a drug or alcohol treatment program, the influence of drug and alcohol problems on inmate mental health problems is recognized and appropriate treatment instituted. The Correctional Mental Health Team recognizes the importance of linking inmates to treatment resources after release from jail..
FACTS AND FIGURES
In 2006-07, the daily population of the jail system averaged 6,500 individuals. CMH provided services to approximately 17% of those individuals.
WHAT WE DO
Correctional Mental Health provides a wide range of psychiatric and crisis intervention services to the inmates in the Orange County Jail System:
Evaluation/assessment of all inmates referred during the triage process
Crisis intervention to ameliorate symptoms of psychiatric/psychological decompensation
Medication evaluation and prescription of psychotropic medication where indicated
Collateral contacts with Correctional Medical Services, Sheriff's Department, Criminal Justice System, Mental Health professionals, families, and friends for the purpose of effective continuing care during incarceration
Group Therapy
Care coordination services for linkage, referral to community mental health services and discharge planning for post custody treatment service
Coordination with Long Term Care for psychiatric hospitalization as appropriate
If a family member or friend is in custody at an Orange County jail facility, and you are uncertain whether we are aware of an important mental health condition, please contact Correctional Mental Health (CMH) Administration at 714-647-4164 Monday through Friday from 8am-5pm. If this is an urgent after-hours matter, please contact the CMH triage desk at 714-647-6030:
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