Access to Services

Access to Services

ACCESS: Acute Crisis Care and Evaluation for Systemwide Services
800-491-9099

Alameda County Behavioral Health Care Services' ACCESS program is the centralized entry point for all information, screening and referral for mental health, alcohol and drug abuse services and treatment for county residents.

ACCESS is a telephone service staffed from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. by licensed mental health clinicians and clerical support for both general questions and determining eligibility for a range of non-emergency outpatient services. After-hours calls are answered by Crisis Support Services of Alameda County. Those in need of immediate or emergency care are referred to Sausal Creek (a 24-hour crisis walk-in service at 510-437-2363) or to John George Pavilion, Psychiatric Emergency Service (a 24-hour, voluntary and involuntary screening and emergency treatment clinic at 510-346-1300).

The telephone menu of options is provided in five languages: English, Spanish, Cantonese, Vietnamese, and Cambodian. ACCESS staff utilizes Language Line Services for additional languages and California Relay for TTY communication with persons who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Services provided by ACCESS:

• General information about services and service alternatives
• Screening/telephone assessment of clinical service need
• Crisis screening and referral (ACCESS is not a suicide hotline)
• Verification of Behavioral Health Plan eligibility
• Client registration and gathering of online Client Services Information data
• Determination of appropriate level of service and provider selection

ACCESS referrals for Specialty Mental Health Services:

• Outpatient behavioral health care services include:

• Assessment and possible treatment
• Psycho-diagnostic evaluation
• Medication evaluation and support
• Referrals made for services are based on clinical need and provider availability.
• Referrals are made to providers who are either Level 1, intensive clinic-based, or Level 3, solo practitioner office-based practice - either an independent or organizational provider.
• Criteria for matching to providers is based on various factors (e.g. client preference, geographic location, language need, provider's clinical specialties).