Behavioral Health

Humboldt County Behavioral Health is here to support you.

Behavioral Health programs and services

Behavioral Health programs and services are committed to the principles of recovery, wellness, and discovery, which states that every client has the ability to:

  • Determine their own treatment course
  • Define what "purposeful activity" means to them
  • Determine how and in what way they wish to advance their own independence
  • Develop the interest and skills to determine how best to advantage "failure"
  • Develop their own defined family network
  • Advance their abilities in developing strong and lasting relationships of their choice.

Eligibility for Services

Humboldt County Behavioral Health (BH) contracts with the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) to provide specialty mental health services (or SMHS) for Humboldt County residents with Medi-Cal. DHCS defines the criteria needed to access SMHS as well as what types of services would be considered medically necessary. BH screens all people who request services for these eligibility criteria to determine if we are the best fit to serve their needs or if a referral to another provider would be more appropriate. 

Adults: For those aged 21 and older to be eligible for services, a person must have the need for SMHS as indicated by a significant impairment (as defined as distress, disability, or dysfunction in a significant area of life functioning, such as family, school, work or community) or a reasonable probability of significant deterioration in an important area of life functioning due to a diagnosed or suspected mental health disorder. The individual must experience a diagnosed or suspected mental health disorder. Specialty mental health services are considered medically necessary for adults when it is reasonable and necessary to protect life, to prevent significant illness or significant disability or to alleviate severe pain. 

Children and Youth: For those aged 20 and younger to be eligible for services, a person must have the need for SMHS as indicated by experience of a significant impairment, a reasonable probability of significant deterioration in an important area of life functioning, a reasonable probability of not progressing developmentally as appropriate or a need for the service all of which must be due to a diagnosed or suspected mental health disorder or significant trauma. A youth may also be eligible if they have experience of trauma, involvement in the child welfare system, juvenile justice involvement or are experiencing homelessness. SMHS are considered medically necessary for youth and children when they seek to correct or make better a mental illness or condition which may be discovered by a screening service, are curative or restorative and are able to sustain, support, improve or make more tolerable a mental health condition. 

Some of the symptoms that may qualify a person for SMHS include, but are not limited to, severely depressed mood, suicide attempts, self-harm, psychiatric hospitalizations, hallucinations, inability to work or go to school, difficulty maintaining housing and/or an inability to meet daily needs for long periods of time.

Evidence Based Practices (EBP) are used to ensure the best treatment outcomes.

Online or phone supports:

Mindfulness Meditation and Yoga:

As a National Health Service Corps site, we promise to:

  • Serve all patients
  • No one will be denied access to services due to inability to pay. A discounted/sliding fee schedule is available based on family size and income.
  • Not deny services based on a person’s:
    • Race
    • Color
    • Sex
    • Age
    • National origin
    • Disability
    • Religion
    • Gender identity
    • Sexual orientation
  • Accept insurance, including:
    • Medicaid
    • Medicare
    • Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).

This facility is a member of the National Health Service Corps: NHSC.hrsa.gov.