Mental Health Association of Orange County

Agency Programs

Three Mental Health Outpatient Recovery Clinics

Mental health professionals provide primary mental health assessment, diagnosis and treatment, medication services, individual and group therapy, crisis intervention and case management, support and encouragement to individuals struggling with chronic and persistent mental illness.  All clients are referred by the County of Orange Health Care Agency.  Services are provided at three program locations including; Costa Mesa, West Anaheim and Lake Forest. 

Three Psychosocial Consumer Clubhouses

Clubhouses compliment the Outpatient Recovery Centers and are located in Costa Mesa, Garden Grove and Lake Forest and open to anyone receiving services from the County of Orange or its contracting partners. The Clubhouse is member driven, designed and operated solely by mental health clients. The Clubhouse provides a supportive environment, a self-help and empowering setting, which focuses on the strength of individuals with social, recreational activities, education and programs which help to realize each members potential.

Wellness and Peer Support Center

The Wellness Center provides a safe and nurturing environment for each individual to achieve his/her vision of recovery from mental illness while promoting acceptance, dignity, and social inclusion. The program provides peer-to-peer support and community integration, offering an array of groups and resources to increase the wellness of the community of Orange County.

Homeless Veterans Outreach Services

Case workers link qualifying veterans with services through the Veterans Administration (VA) and provide general compassion and support to those they serve.  Clients are transported to the VA whenever needed, and are assisted every step of the process as they seek assistance.  At least 33% of the homeless population in the US are male veterans and many do not know if they qualify for VA benefits.  Case workers  help clients apply for healthcare benefits, retirement, and Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) vouchers (similar to Section 8 housing vouchers) to move homeless veterans into permanent housing.

Resource and Referral Services

This community service links callers to MHA programs and services, county mental health clinics, local agencies and organizations, psychiatric facilities, support groups and other requested information.

Hospital/Client Advocacy Services

This program provides trained volunteer hearing advocates for all Orange County’s probable cause hearings regarding involuntary hospital stays. Advocates fulfill a state-mandated role in explaining the hearing and supporting patients through the process. Advocates enable clients to have fair and impartial hearings based on criteria for the holds.

SSI Benefits Outreach Team

Staff assists mental health clients unable to work, due to mental illness, through the application process for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and any/all subsequent follow-up needed for approval.  All referrals are made through Orange County Health Care Agency and contracting partners.

Consumer Operated Thrift Store/Job Training Center

Located in Santa Ana, the Keep It Simple Thrift Store provides training and support to clients in preparation for community employment:  including workplace culture, merchandising skills, time management, and customer service.  The store is also a revenue source for the agency.

Orange County Task Force on Hoarding

The Orange County Task Force on Hoarding is a volunteer, advisory group that meets monthly to review existing residential hoarding situations that affect the health and safety of individuals in Orange County.  As such, the Task Force itself does not provide direct services but is comprised of representatives of agencies and programs that often are able to help.  Organizations that encounter hoarding situations are encouraged to bring challenging cases to the monthly task force meeting for review (confidentiality rules apply) with the goal of identifying strategies, developing plans and locating resources that may help bring about a positive outcome for all involved.

Founded in 1958, the Mental Health Association of Orange County (MHA) is a private, non-profit community-based mental health and social services agency dedicated to improving the quality of life of adults in Orange County who are impacted by mental illness through direct service, advocacy, education, and information dissemination. All of agency services are provided within the context of the psychosocial rehabilitation philosophy. The primary goal of our programs is to eliminate functional deficits, and interpersonal and environmental barriers created by mental illness in an effort to restore the ability to live independently, socialize and manage life effectively. By addressing the practical and realistic elements of the individual’s needs, our programs create a supportive environment which encourages the individual to make positive choices and experience growth.

MHA offers a full continuum of care for individuals with a mental illness. From its humble beginnings, 55 years ago as a small, volunteer advocacy and referral agency, MHA has grown into one of the largest Orange County-based non-profit mental health and social services providers serving over 10,000 individuals per year, with 8 locations throughout Orange County and providing a safety-net for the poor and indigent individuals in Orange County struggling with severe and persistent mental illness, stigma and discrimination. We believe the road to recovery begins on the streets, and progresses slowly towards stability, stopping many times along with way. If an individual is to experience positive growth, we must meet them at the intersection of their needs and abilities, which requires our services to be accessible, culturally competent, and sensitive to special needs.