Behavioral Health Equity
Behavioral Health Equity is the right to access quality health care for all populations regardless of the individual’s race, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, or geographical location. This includes access to prevention, treatment, and recovery services for mental and substance use disorders.
Advancing health equity involves ensuring that everyone has a fair and just opportunity to be as healthy as possible. This also applies to behavioral health. In conjunction with quality services, this involves addressing social determinants, such as employment and housing stability, insurance status, proximity to services, culturally responsive care – all of which have an impact on behavioral health outcomes.
What We are Doing to Advance Health Equity-
Reducing Health Disparities and improving health equity is important to the Department of Behavioral Health. It is not a check box for us, nor do we want it to be for any who provide services in our system of care. While there are areas for improvement in our system of care, we also feel we are making advances in improving health equity. In the past few years, we have started self-examination of areas for improvement. We’ve invested in new trainings and changing processes which have contributed to disparities. We have sought to get greater community input and create programs that better meet the needs of our diverse community. Health Equity is not a singular goal for our Department and system of care, but rather an ongoing continuous process to best meet the on-going needs of our diverse and changing community.
Health Equity Multi-Cultural Diversity Training (HEMCDT)
Providers with access to the Department's Learning Management System, Relias can access additional foundational trainings.
Resources
Mental Health Terms — Resources
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Land Acknowledgement
The Fresno County Department of Behavioral Health acknowledges that we are on the traditional territory of several nations including the Yokuts, Western Mono/Monache, Eastern Mono/Monache, Numu (Northern Paiute), Ohlone (Amah Mutsun), and Salinan.
What is a land acknowledgement and why do we do it?
A land acknowledgement involves making a statement recognizing the traditional territory of the Indigenous people(s) who called the land home before the arrival of settlers, and in many cases still do call it home. Providing a land acknowledgement at the beginning of an event or meeting gives time for reflection and demonstrates recognition and appreciation of Indigenous lands, treaties and peoples. It involves thinking about what happened in the past and what changes can be made going forward in order to further the reconciliation process and work towards reducing disparities and improve health outcomes.
Treaties: Cession 275, 276, 277, 278, 279, 423
Languages: Yokuts, Ohlone, Salinan, Southern Sierra Miwok
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DBH Language Guides
The Department of Behavioral Health has developed documents to assist service providers when caring for persons-served whose preferred language is Spanish or Hmong.
These guide is constantly being reviewed and improved upon
Access the Spanish guide HERE(DOCX, 146KB)
(rev. 10/6/2022)
Access the Hmong guide HERE(DOCX, 79KB)
(rev. 3/31/2023)
If you have a Behavioral Health emergency
please call 9-1-1
For Access to Services or the Crisis Line,
1 800 654-3937
CalHOPE Warm Line
1 833 317-HOPE(4673)
Central Valley Suicide Prevention Lifeline
1 800 273-8255