For folks that may be experiencing mental health crises, it can be difficult to get those urgent care needs met. The emergency room in hospitals has been the traditional location for gaining access to mental health support. Recently, however, in Sacramento, a walk-in clinic was established to provide mental health urgent care services for community members. The Turning Point Community Programs website provides the following information about who might want to access the services at the clinic.
"Examples of who might access the urgent care clinic:
• Someone not currently linked to services experiences an unexpected crisis. Clinic staff will provide triage, assessment, and referrals for qualifying services and resources.
• Someone who has been linked to outpatient services but needs to access psychiatric care before it is available where they have been referred. Clinic staff will provide needed urgent care services and communicate treatment with primary provider.
• An individual who is linked to an outpatient provider but missed an appointment and is in need of urgent psychiatric care and medication. Clinic staff will provide needed services, communicate treatment with primary provider, and may set a limit on the frequency of urgent care clinic use.
• An individual presenting with a primary substance use disorder or who may be under the influence will be assessed and offered linkage to on-going alcohol and drug treatment services.
• Linked or unlinked individuals experiencing a mental health and/or co-occurring substance abuse crisis when their assigned provider is closed, after-hours, or during the weekends/holiday. Clinic staff can help avert the need for an emergency department visit by providing urgent care services, communicating treatment with the outpatient provider (if linked), and arranging appropriate follow-up care."