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Overview
The Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) and its contract partners are responsible for providing
mental health and substance use disorder services to County residents who are experiencing major
mental illness and/or substance use disorders. DBH and its contract partners provide treatment,
which may include psychiatric medical services, to all age groups. Primary emphasis is placed on
treating youth and their families, adults, and older adults who are experiencing serious mental
illness or are emotionally disturbed, as well as a full continuum of substance use disorder services
that include prevention, treatment and recovery support.
Another integral part of the behavioral
health service delivery system consists of specialized programs including prevention and early
intervention, crisis intervention services, workforce education and training, homeless services, and
the Offices of Consumer and Family Affairs and Cultural Competence and Ethnic Services.
The County of San Bernardino has a Behavioral Health Commission that is appointed by the Board
of Supervisors (BOS), in accordance with the Welfare and Institutions Code 5604. The Behavioral
Health Commission provides the advisory link between the BOS and DBH in providing public input
into the delivery of public mental health and substance use disorder services to the communities
within the County.
DBH collaborates with agency partners through contracts, agreements and Memorandums of
Understanding (MOU) to maximize the provision of available behavioral health services to the
approximately 2,000,000 residents living in the County of San Bernardino. DBH currently manages
close to 400 contractual agreements for the delivery of mental health and substance use disorder
services.
DESCRIPTION