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Crisis Information

If your loved one is experiencing a mental health crisis, this information will help.

If you or your loved one face a life threatening emergency, call 911.

NAMI San Fernando Valley is here to help with information and resources but we are not a crisis service organization. These pages will provide important guidelines on how to get help for your loved one now and in the future.

SUICIDE HOTLINE: 1-877-727-4747
24 HRS The patient should call: A counselor will try to help the patient.

URGENT CARE
Olive View Community Mental Health Urgent Care Center
14659 Olive View Dr Sylmar, CA 818-485-0888
Walk-in voluntary care for those in mental health crisis. 8am - 5pm

Who to call if your loved one is in immediate danger
If the patient is an IMMEDIATE DANGER to self or others, call 911
Mention that the person is suffering from a mental illness.
Police or sheriff deputies will respond.

What to do if your loved one has been arrested. Follow this link to access a
step-by-step guide to help families cope with the criminal justice system in Los Angeles County when a family member who suffers from a brain disorder (mental illness) is arrested.

Mental Health Crisis Hotline - ALWAYS OPEN 800-854-7771

What to do if there is time and your loved one is a danger to self or others or gravely disabled (not eating, without shelter) but will not seek help voluntarily:

Mental Health Psychiatric Mobile Response Team (PMRT / Pet Team) Psychiatric Mobile Response Team
818/832-2410 or 2400
weekdays 8-5
Other times, call (800) 854-7771

S.M.A.R.T. Team* -- Monday - Friday
213-473-8263 *( Systemwide Mental Assessment Response Team )

MEU - Mental Health Evaluation Unit -- LAPD Mental evaluation team
(213) 485-3300) after hours ( 213) 485 3261

MET - Mental Health & Sheriff for County 800-854-7771

When to call
A mental health crisis can happen at any time. If you are calling after business hours or on a weekend, you may need to leave a message. Don't give up. You are the most effective advocate for your loved one. All NAMI - SFV members are here to help with advice and guidance. You may benefit from attending a NAMI support group. See What's Happening at NAMI-SFV. All NAMI - SFV support groups, classes and services are FREE OF CHARGE.

Where to go if the patient will go WILLINGLY for a daytime, weekday crisis.
Call first, then go to your local Public Mental Health Center shown below:

Center for Family Living
14545 Sherman Circle
VAN NUYS, 91405
818/901-4854.
(Serving: Encino, Sherman Oaks, Van Nuys)
Hillview Mental Health Center
12450 Van Nuys Blvd # 200
Pacoima, 91331
818/896-1161.
(Serving: Arleta, Pacoima, Lakeview Terrace, SunValley,
Sunland, Kagel Canyon)
MacDonald Carey East Valley Mental Health Center
11631 Victory Bl, #203
North Hollywood, 91606.
818/908-3855.
(Serving: N. Hollywood, Studio City, Toluca Lake,
Burbank-west of Buena Vista, Universal City)
San Fernando Mental Health C.enter
10605 Balboa Blvd
Granada Hills, 91344
818-832-2400.
(Serving: Sylmar, San Fernando, Mission Hills, Granada Hills,
North Hills, Panorama City)
Santa Clarita Mental Health C.enter
25050 Peachland Ave, #203
Newhall, 91321
661/222-2800
(Serving: Santa Clarita, Newhall, Valencia, Bouquet Canyon, Saugus, ValVerde, Canyon Country, Castaic, Sulpher Springs, Agua Dulce)
Verdugo Mental Health C.enter
1540 Colorado St.
Glendale, 91205
818/244-7257.
(Serving: Glendale, Montrose, Verdugo City, Eagle Rock, Glassell Park, Atwater, La Crescenta, Burbank—east of Buena Vista,
La Canada/Flintridge.)
West Valley Mental Health C.enter
7621 Canoga Ave
CANOGA PARK, 91304
818/598-6900.
(Serving: Westlake Village in L.A. County, West Hills, Chatsworth, Canoga Park, Northridge, Porter Ranch, Winnetka, Woodland Hills, Tarzana, Reseda, Hidden Hills, Calabasas, Agoura Hills)

Where to go if the patient / your loved one needs psychiatric hospitalization
Hospitals with psychiatric units

Hollywood Community of Van Nuys. 800-565-0558
Mission Community Hospital. San Fernando. 818-361-7331
Northridge Hospital-Van Nuys. 818-908-8684
Olive View Medical Center. - Sylmar - 818-364-3432.
Henry Mayo - Valencia - 888-383-0558
Pacifica Hospital of Valley, Sun Valley. 818-767-3310
Tarzana Treatment Center: Drug/Alcohol. 818-996-7019

How to get help for Teens
Teen Line: 310-855-HOPE or TLC-TEEN.
6pm to 10pm.

Suicide Prevention
SUICIDE HOTLINE: 1-877-727-4747
24 Hours
The patient should call: A counselor will try to help the patient.

How to Handle a Crisis

There are some actions that can diminish or avoid disaster. You need to reverse any escalation of the psychotic symptoms and provide immediate protection and support to the person with the mental illness (as well as yourself in some cases).

Remember that things always go better if you speak softly and in
simple sentences.

Your task is to help the person regain control. Do nothing to agitate the situation. The person is probably terrified by the subjective experience of loss of control over thoughts and feelings. The "voices" may be giving life-threatening commands; messages may be coming from light fixtures; the room may be filled with poisonous fumes; snakes may be crawling on the window. Accept the fact that the person is in an "altered reality state" and may "act out" the hallucination. For example, they may shatter the window to destroy the snakes. It is imperative that you remain calm. If you are alone, call someone to stay with you until professional help arrives.

The person may have to be hospitalized. Try to convince him or her to go voluntarily; avoid patronizing or authoritative statements. If necessary, take steps to start the involuntary treatment process. If indicated, call the police but ask them not to brandish any weapons. Explain that your relative or friend has mental illness and that you have called for help.

Don’t Threaten. This may be interpreted as a power play or prompt assaultive behavior.
Don’t Shout. If the person isn’t listening, other "voices" are probably interfering.
Don’t Criticize. It will make matters worse; it can’t make things better.
Don’t Squabble with Other Family Members over "best strategies" or allocations of blame. It is not the time to prove a point.
Don’t Bait the person into acting out wild threats; the consequences could be tragic.
Avoid Continuous Eye Contact or Touching.
Comply with Requests that are not endangering or beyond reason.
This gives the person the opportunity to feel somewhat "in control."
Don’t Block the Doorway but keep yourself between the
person and an exit.

(This article appeared in our Newsletter January, 1999 and has helped many families and individuals. Watch these pages for additional information to help you and your loved one)

How to Prepare for a Crisis

Prepare The Plan

Emergencies that have happened over the last two years with your mentally ill loved one will probably be the same ones that will happen over the next two years. Review what was done in the past and how it could be improved.
Then you will have a plan that can guide your actions in future emergencies.

The Plan

The plan should be written. Trying to remember details in a crisis can be difficult. Having a written list of steps and procedures can help you focus on the immediate situation.
Include phone numbers and addresses of resources:
- Mental health clinic, outpatient facility.
- Emergency inpatient facilities.
- Emergency/Crisis teams who have responded in the past.
- Friends and relatives who will provide support.
Have solutions to problems that have worked in the past.
For example, "Call the outpatient clinic and leave a message telling the doctor what has been happening and suggesting that an increase or change in medication may be helpful."
Have instructions on what to do and how to act.
For example "If _______gets upset, stay calm and call the emergency line # __________________.
Have alternatives for all times: day and night, weekdays and weekends.
For example, "If the outpatient clinic is closed, call __________________.
Have alternatives if first steps don’t work.
For example, If such and such number doesn’t answer, try ______.
Have the plan carry through to the final resolution of the problem.
Don’t leave anything to chance.

(This article appeared in our Newsletter in May, 1994 and has helped many families and individuals. Watch these pages for additional information to help you and your loved one)

How to Prepare for Long Term Care

Keep an Up-to-date History Summary

Keep a summary of up-to-date information on your mentally ill loved one. This summary can be given to treatment facilities to speed treatment and avoid confusion and mistakes. The summary should be only one or two pages long. List items of significance pertaining to your love one’s illness:

Past treatments: types of things that have worked well and things that have led to complications.
Diagnosis—just the most recent. Include a brief statement about when the person became ill and what the person was like before the illness.
List hospitalizations and reasons.
Suicide attempts, when and how.
Acts of violence, when, how and against whom or what.
Currently under treatment for (diagnosis).
Current treating psychiatrist (if any) and current medication(s) and dosages and any side effects.
If not taking any medication, say so
History of drug and/or alcohol use.
Physical ailments.

(This article originally appeared in the NAMI Long Beach Newsletter, May, 1994 and has helped many families and individuals. Watch these pages for additional information to help you and your loved one)

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