MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS SERVICES

CRISIS SERVICES are available 24-hours a day, seven (7) days a week. 

If you or a family member have a mental health crisis,

please call the Crisis Line:

(360) 425-6064 or 1-800-803-8833

Coping with a Traumatic Event

What is a Traumatic Event?  Most everyone goes through a stressful event some time in their life.  When such an event causes more stress than is manageable, it could become traumatic.  Traumatic events are marked by a sense of horror, helplessness, serious injury, or the threat of serious injury or death.  Traumatic events can affect survivors, rescue workers, and the friends and relatives of victims involved in the traumatic event.  They may even impact people who have witnessed an event firsthand or on television.

What can you do for yourself?  There are many things you can do to cope with traumatic events:

• Understand that your symptoms are normal, especially right after the trauma.

• Keep to your usual routine.

• Take the time to resolve day-to-day conflicts so they do not add to your stress.

• Find ways to relax and be kind to yourself.

• Turn to family, friends, or other trusted persons for support, and talk about your experiences and feelings with them.

• Participate in leisure and recreational activities.

• Recognize that you cannot control everything.

• Be open to receive trained help, and call a local mental health center.

What can you do for your child? 

• Let your child know that it is okay to feel upset when something bad or scary happens.

• Encourage your child to express feelings and thoughts, without making judgments.

• Return to daily routines.

CRISIS  STABILIZATION UNIT is a five (5) bed, short-term residential crisis stabilization facility operating 24-hours a day, seven (7) days a week to provide a safe, therapeutic alternative to emergency department visits and inpatient psychiatric hospitalization for adults experiencing a mental health crisis.

CRISIS RESPONSE SERVICES provides mental health assessments and stabilization.  Designated Mental Heal Professionals are available to provide on-going consultation and assessments for voluntary and involuntary inpatient hospitalizations.  If you would like to talk to a Mental Health Professional, please call 360-425-6064 or 1-800-803-8833.

Voluntary Inpatient Hospitalizations:  Psychiatric hospital services are available at no cost to consumers. If you think you need to be hospitalized, contact the Crisis Line:  360-425-6064 or 1-800-803-8833.  

The St. John Psychiatric Inpatient Unit, located in Longview, is a hospital designed for short stays providing medication management, occupational therapy, group therapy, and one-on-one sessions with psychiatric nurses, psychiatrists, and other staff.  If you believe you are in need of inpatient hospitalization, please call the Crisis Line:  360-425-6064 or 1-800-803-8833.

Involuntary Inpatient Hospitalizations:  You can be hospitalized against your will if you are:  

• A danger to yourself

• A danger to others

• Unable to provide for your own care and needs because of a mental disorder

The law requires:  

• That you cannot be held over 72 hours (excluding weekends and holidays) without a Court Order.

• Additional legal action to continue involuntary hospitalization beyond 72 hours.

• That you are provided with free legal representation.

Upon discharge from an involuntary hospitalization, a Judge may order that you must remain on a "Less Restrictive Alternative status or on a "Conditional Release".  A Less Restrictive Alternative or a Conditional Release means that you must follow certain rules to keep yourself healthy and safe---or you may have to be re-hospitalized.