The county is improving access to the OC Warmline by expanding is contract with NAMI Orange County, an organization that provides mental health resources, for the next two years at a cost of up to $28.3 million.
The OC Warmline is a 24/7, confidential telephone, live chat and texting service available to Orange County residents who need behavioral health support.
The OC Board of Supervisors recently unanimously approved the amended contract, which will implement changes such as “on-demand” access to services via telephone, chat and text, eliminating the voicemail feature. The funding will also add bilingual Vietnamese and Spanish speakers, as well as expand the outreach to these ethnic communities through subcontracts with the nonprofit Abrazar and the Huntington Beach-based Warner Wellness Center.
NAMI has seen a steady increase in demand for its Warmline services over the past few years. When the line became a 24/7 operation in 2020, the call volume increased by 20% or more, officials said. When the Warmline first started up, volunteer operators received an average of 140 calls per month. This year, the center is receiving more than 11,000 per month.
“The ability to reach and to help talk to, whether it be through the chat program, texting or by a live phone call, 11,000 people per month, that’s quite an operation that takes funds to be able to implement,” Fifth District Supervisor Katrina Foley said. “I’m grateful that we now also will be serving our Vietnamese-speaking and Spanish-speaking community.”
Second District Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento said the addition of bilingual operators is important because it includes “previously overlooked members of our community whose mental health was impacted during the pandemic.”
“I hope to see this service alleviate some impacted and wait-listed services that complement mental health support,” he said. “Also, this service will be more personalized support for the individual’s needs.”
Services are provided by staff and volunteers with similar lived experiences as the caller and are trained to provide support, officials said. All incoming calls are screened for safety concerns and, if needed, callers are linked to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
“Sometimes all that matters is that there is somebody on another phone line talking to you to be able to help you work through issues,” Foley said.
To get help, residents can: call or text 714-991-6412, toll-free is 877-910-9276, or for a live chat visit namioc.org.
