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LA County offers mental health help after firestorms
Residents embrace outside of a burning property in Altadena as the Eaton Fire swept through the area in January.
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Ethan Swope
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Associated Press
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The Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health is reminding people dealing with the psychological fallout of January’s firestorms that help is available through its helpline.
Director Lisa Wong said many people seeking urgent counseling through their private insurance may be facing long wait times because of a long-standing mental health worker shortage.
“Now you have this huge disaster that requires a very specific kind of trauma response, and that network of therapists still is not going to be adequate,” Wong said Wednesday.
Wong said the department is working to connect people with therapists, support groups and other services while they wait for longer-term support through insurers.
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The department also offers a service called iPrevail, where people can get support from people with lived experience with mental health conditions.
The helpline is available 24-hours a day, seven days a week at (800) 854-7771.
A full list of L.A. County mental health resources for people affected by wildfires is online.
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