The Significance of Your Surroundings: Using Healing Environments to Support Recovery in Three New Crisis Programs

At Telecare, we believe that a person's environment plays a significant role in his or her recovery journey. Of course, there are many factors that contribute to a person's overall environment, including physical, social, and natural. When a person is going through a crisis, it is essential that the program environment they walk into is one based on healing so the recovery can begin the second they walk through the doors.

This summer, Telecare partnered with San Bernardino County Department of Behavioral Health to open three new crisis programs to meet the needs of their community and use the physical environment, RCCS-practices, and personal compassion to transform the crisis experience into a healing opportunity.

"This project highlights the vision and elements of public safety," said Third District Supervisor James Ramos at the July 19 open house for Windsor Center. "No longer will those community members have to suffer in silence. No longer will they have to travel to an emergency room. They can receive services right here in their own community, where they can knock on the door, walk in, and get the services they need because we came together as a community, as a county, and a state to make sure that they know that they are not alone in their journey to move forward—that we are standing side by side with them to see that change come forward in our community because no one should struggle or be alone with it comes to health and wellness."

Now Open: Windsor Center (San Bernardino, CA)

Open house for Windsor Center

Windsor Center is a 20-chair Crisis Stabilization Unit (CSU) serving residents of San Bernardino County aged 13 and older, 24-hours a day, 7-days per week.

"People feed off energy. If you go into toxic environment, you’re going to feel it. If you go into a healing environment, you'll feel that as well," Theresa McKinley, Administrator at Windsor Center said. “When you create a healing environment, it makes the statement to members that they’re worth being treated well."

Individuals in crisis can access CSU services on their own or by referral (walk-ins welcome). Referrals to the Windsor Center will be accepted from the San Bernardino County Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) outpatient clinics, full service partnerships (FSP), DBH Community Crisis Response Teams (CCRTs), law enforcement and first responders, hospital emergency rooms, mental health assessment teams, and other county medical clinics and departments.

Now Open: Merrill Center (Fontana, CA)

Open house for Merrill CEnter

Merrill Center is a 20-chair Crisis Stabilization Unit serving residents of San Bernardino County aged 13 and older, 24-hours a day, 7-days per week.

“This experience here is an expression of an incredible partnership,” Anne Bakar, President and CEO of Telecare said. “We’ve been in San Bernardino County for 15 years, and we’re delighted to have the opportunity to create an inpatient environment for people that really reflects shared values.”

Individuals in crisis can access CSU services on their own or by referral. Referrals to the Merrill Center will be accepted from the San Bernardino County Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) outpatient clinics, full service partnerships (FSP), DBH Community Crisis Response Teams (CCRTs), law enforcement and first responders, hospital emergency rooms, mental health assessment teams, and
other county medical clinics and departments.

Now Open: Wellspring Center (Fontana, CA)

Open House for Wellspring Center

Wellspring Center is a 16-bed Crisis Residential Treatment (CRT) center serving adult residents of San Bernardino County. Wellspring Center offers short-term, recovery-based treatment options, as well as services and interventions in a home-like setting for up to 90 days. 

“The goal is to get the members motivated to start a recovery journey. To believe that they can engage in a recovery journey,” Larry Lawler, Administrator at Wellspring Center said. “The environment needs to be such where pretty much everything we do is related to trying to get them to understand that they can recover.”

Referrals to the Wellspring Center will be accepted from the San Bernardino County Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) outpatient clinics, full service partnerships (FSP), DBH Community Crisis Response Teams (CCRTs), law enforcement and first responders, hospital emergency rooms, mental health assessment teams, and other county medical clinics and departments.