SLO COUNTY HEALTH ACCESS
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Behavioral Health

Concerned about a child's development?

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Contact SLO County Help Me Grow (SLO HMG) for support with developmental screenings, identifying resources, providing child development information and accessing basic needs for the families you serve. Services are free for any child ages birth through 5 years old who is a SLO County resident. Call 805-440-1878 or visit https://slohelpmegrow.org/

Local Resources

Behavioral health includes both mental health and drug and alcohol services. Current resources in San Luis Obispo County include:
  • MP Health (see sidebar)
  • Medi-Cal covered counseling services (see below for more information)
  • Martha's Place, for children ages 0-5 (see below for more information)
  • SLO County Help Me Grow provides free screenings and referrals for children ages 0-5 experiencing behavioral or developmental challenges, English/Spanish.
  • Child Development Resource Center has Medi-Cal and low-cost counseling for all ages.
  • Community Counseling Center​ has Medi-Cal and sliding scale counseling.
  • Perinatal Mood Disorders: support and resources for women struggling during pregnancy or postpartum are on this page.
  • Parent Connection, an online resource center with information about local parenting classes and access to free parent coaching services, English/Spanish.
  • Lumina Alliance has free counseling services for children ages 4-17 who have experienced trauma. Call to see if a child qualifies. English/Spanish.
  • CHC's Homeless Services program can provide care for people not eligible for other services. Call (805) 473-4712 to be directed to a clinic.
  • SLO County Drug and Alcohol Services
  • Transitions-Mental Health Association's Family Partner program supports families with children experiencing mental health issues.

A list of mental health providers developed by the Child Health and Disability Prevention Program of SLO County Public Health is also available for download:
SLO Co CHDP Mental Health Provider List updated 2019.pdf
File Size: 366 kb
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Local Resource to Help Parents Find the Right Mental Health Therapist

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Finding the right mental health therapist for a young child can be challenging. It can be difficult to know who is best qualified to treat children under six and how to ensure that the fit is right.  

To assist parents in finding the treatment that is right for them, the Health Access Training Project provides the handout
 Finding the Right Mental Health Therapist Guide for San Luis Obispo County. Please feel free to download and distribute to parents and guardians. Note that it has contact information for San Luis Obispo County. Click the link below to download your copy.

finding_the_right_therapist_guide_en_es_jan_2022.pdf
File Size: 767 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Parents can also contact SLO County Help Me Grow for help in finding a mental health therapist.

Medi-Cal Mental Health Services

The way that CenCal Health members (clients with Medi-Cal) will be referred to mental health care and applied behavior analysis (ABA) services is changing. ​Starting January 1, 2022, CenCal Health directly provides managed care for mental health care and ABA services. The Holman Group is no longer involved in the process

Free Counseling for Parents and Caregivers

Free, bilingual counseling for parents and caregivers with children six years of age and younger is available through MP Health.

Video sessions are offered along with in-person visits in Atascadero. MP Health providers address a wide range of issues such as anxiety, depression, grief and loss, PTSD, attachment disorders and substance abuse.
 
If you or your staff work with any parents or caregivers with children under 6 years of age who could benefit from these services, please share this information with them. The staff at MP Health are eager to welcome and support new clients. They can be reached at (805) 253-2547 or MPH@mariposasproject.com. Download flyers here.
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Need Help?

Contact an advocate or staff member at a Family Resource Center for support with non-medical needs such as food, clothing, shelter, parent education and navigating social services. A full listing of Family Resource Centers in San Luis Obispo County can be found here: 
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https://sloparents.org/slo-frc-directory/​
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Members with mild to moderate conditions should contact CenCal Health at (877) 814-1861 to set up care or they can schedule directly with a contracted provider. To find a contracted mental health provider, visit  https://www.cencalhealth.org/providers/behavioral-health-treatment-and-mental-health-services/​

The County Mental Health Department provides services for specialty mental health (specific severe mental illnesses) for Medi-Cal members. The Latino Outreach Program is integrated into County Mental Health clinics - mental health services are provided in Spanish for adults and children. Martha's Place (see below) provides specialized services for children ages 0-5 with at-risk behaviors and/or prenatal exposure. ​
CenCal Health members with severe mental illness symptoms can still contact County Behavioral Health at (800) 838-1381.

Not sure which agency to call? Then call County Behavioral Health at (800) 838-1381 for assistance in connecting with the right level of care.

Martha's Place Assesses and Treats Children

Martha's Place is a County Behavioral Health program that focuses on the assessment and treatment of children birth to five who exhibit at-risk behaviors that may be interfering with their normal development and/or who have been prenatally exposed to alcohol or other substances. All children with Medi-Cal are eligible.

A comprehensive initial assessment of the child's medical, cognitive, behavioral, social, educational and emotional development is used to recommend needed services and to help families access services through Martha's Place and other providers. Post-assessment services may include mental health therapy, occupational therapy, case management, additional testing, and caregiver support. Services depend on the child's needs and insurance coverage. Note that Martha's Place does not accept private health insurance.

Children can be referred directly by faxing the Martha's Place Referral Form to 781-4962. If you have questions, call (805) 781-4948. Parents may need help with the required intake paperwork. If transportation to the initial assessment is a problem, patients can access transportation through CenCal.
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