A Unique Capability

A Unique Capability

As the new Executive Director of Mobile Response for Be Well OC, I felt a strong pull to hop in the vans and get on the street with the teams to witness firsthand what our Crisis Intervention Specialists (CIS) do every day to serve our communities. These “ride-alongs” were nothing short of inspiring—each one showcasing how remarkable Be Well OC’s Mobile Response Program is and how transformative it can be to deliver acute mental health care directly to those in need.

Each encounter was unique. One call took us to a family home where a young woman in her 20s was in distress. Another led us to a middle school where an 8th-grade student was grappling with suicidal ideations. The third brought us to a park where an unhoused woman was in visible crisis.

The common denominator with these calls was the skill, empathy, and swift action demonstrated by our CIS’s. It was awe-inspiring, to say the least.

At the family home, several first responders from Huntington Beach Fire, EMT, and Police were already on scene, but within 10 minutes of arrival, our CIS’s had de-escalated the situation, allowing emergency personnel to return to their critical community work. It was a powerful reminder of how our teams not only care for individuals in crisis but also ease the strain on public safety resources.

The next day, I watched our CIS’s bring that same level of care to a middle school, calming a vulnerable student and providing immediate support to the administrators and staff as well. The academic and social pressures impacting school populations are a particular area of focus for our teams as we shape the future of the mobile program.

Equally powerful was the quiet dignity and respect I witnessed our CIS’s offering while engaging with Orange County’s unhoused population. One encounter stays with me—an older woman, wrapped in a blanket on the street and clearly in distress. Although she wasn’t ready to accept services that night, our CIS’s took the time to offer compassion while building trust to plant a seed for future connection.

These experiences reaffirmed what I already knew: Be Well OC’s Mobile Response teams aren’t just responding to crises—they’re changing lives, meeting people where they are, and showing that even in the most difficult moments, compassion can pave the way to recovery.