New youth mental health clinic opens in Grover Beach
GROVER BEACH, Calif. – The County of San Luis Obispo Behavioral Health Department is celebrating the opening of its brand new youth mental health clinic in Grover Beach.
On Friday, the county held an open house at the new office, where invited guests were able to tour the facility, meet youth mental health professionals, and learn about the critical services provided to support local youth and families.
"We're thrilled to be at this new location here in Grover Beach," said Jill Rietjens, San Luis Obispo County Division Manager for Youth Mental Health Services. "I think this is a great opportunity for the community, for the youth in our community and the families as well."
The two-hour event was also held in an effort to increase awareness about the importance of accessible mental health care for young people in the community.
Located at 1666 Ramona Avenue in Grover Beach, just a block north of Oak Park Boulevard, the new clinic is intended for those between the ages of 4 to 21-years-old.
"We get referrals from schools often," said Christine Hoffman, San Luis Obispo County Behavioral Health Program Supervisor South County Youth Clinic. "We also get referrals from parents can call our access line and say they want mental health services for their kid and then we do an assessment. We help kids with attention. Stuff like ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) with anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, trauma, we can help them with that."
Mental health professional will provide those in need with valuable resources that support mental wellness and early intervention for young people.
Previously, the Behavioral Health Department had a similar – but smaller office space in Arroyo Grande, but the new, larger space will provide a greater efficiency of services for its clients.
"This will be a benefit to the community as a whole," said Rietjens. "Children and young people, they are the key to a healthy, vibrant community and the things that we can do to make their lives and their growing up experiences better benefits all of us."
