DHHS celebrates Sempervirens Psychiatric Health Facility in Eureka

Eureka, Ca., (KIEM) Tuesday, Department of Health and Human Services’ Mental Health Department celebrates 50 years of the only inpatient psychiatric health facility in Humboldt County.

Cake, refreshments, and decorations awaited existing patients and DHHS staff.

Health officials said services such as theirs are essential for a number of reasons. According to health experts, Humboldt County is seeing an increase in people struggling with mental health and substance use issues.

Humboldt County is a rural area far away from other services, and because of that, experts added that providing crisis response and stabilization locally allows those who are struggling to remain connected to their community, family, and friends.

“I hope that our community is really starting to begin to look at that more broadly and to do some pretty good work on the stigmatization,”  Mental Health Director, Emi Botzler-Rodgers of DHHS. “All of us have experiences or family members or friends with experiences related to mental health and so the more that we can just kind of normalize the support, the better.”

If you or someone you know are suffering from a mental health crisis. You can call the mental health crisis hotline at 707-445-7715.