Kaweah Health and Tulare County Health & Human Services Agency have collaborated to open a Youth Crisis Stabilization Unit (CSU) today, Monday, Dec. 1, 2025. In 2022, the two health organizations received a California Health Facilities Financing Authority grant of nearly $5 million to establish the facility.
Located near Visalia’s Oval Park, the CSU will provide crisis intervention services for children, 17 and under, and transitional age youth, 18 to 21, 24 hours per day, 365 days per year. It is a 12-chair unit with two sides, one side for children and the other for transitional age youth. Services will include crisis evaluation, intervention, and stabilization, as well as psychiatric services and discharge care. It will serve patients referred by and admitted directly from Kaweah Health Emergency Department, as well as direct referrals from other agencies and walk-ins.
“Mental health is a major issue in Tulare County and children are among the most impacted portions of our population,” said Marc Mertz, Kaweah Health’s Chief Strategy Officer. “These children are typically seen in local emergency departments or must leave the community to seek mental health services. Far too many of them go untreated. This new facility will ensure that our children can get the mental health support they need where they need it. By intervening and treating mental health issues earlier, we hope to avoid future issues or hospitalization and help kids live happier and healthier lives.”
The Tulare County Health & Human Services Agency, Behavioral Health Branch (TCBH), provides intensive specialty mental health services for serious mental illnesses as well as substance use disorder services for Tulare County residents with Medi-Cal. TCBH, along with contracted providers, offers services throughout Tulare County and strives to ensure timely access to services for those in need. The CSU will address the need for acute psychiatric crisis treatment for youth in our community, with the goal of decreasing inpatient psychiatric hospitalizations and subsequent placement outside of Tulare County.
“This new Youth Crisis Stabilization Unit will provide immediate, short-term mental health support for children and adolescents in a less restrictive environment, such as an emergency room or hospital,” said Dr. Natalie Bolin, Tulare County Behavioral Health Branch Director. “The goal is to stabilize youth in crisis, prevent more restrictive care, and connect them with community resources and family support to promote long-term well-being and overall stability. These 24/7 facilities offer a safe, healing-centered space with psychiatry, therapeutic activities, and trained staff to address issues like suicidal thoughts or severe stressors, allowing youth to remain connected to their community and de-escalate situations before they become unmanageable emergencies.”
Kaweah Health is staffing this new venture thanks in part to its Graduate Medical Education Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship program. The fellowship’s mission is to train child and adolescent psychiatrists who will positively impact the health of youth and their families in the Central Valley. The training program strives to address mental health disparities and to reduce inequities in health care and serves a diverse patient population.
“The Youth Crisis Stabilization Unit expands our ability to respond to children and families in their most vulnerable moments with clinical excellence, compassion, and integrity. Every aspect of care here is guided by what is right for the child and family, and is rooted in evidence-based practice and ethical treatment,” said Dr. Cory D. Jaques, CSU medical director. “This unit not only brings much-needed resources to our community but also helps train the next generation of child and adolescent psychiatrists. We have a team of providers who share a passion for caring for children and who are committed to ensuring that every young person, regardless of background or circumstance, deserves timely access to expert mental health care close to home. Together, we are shaping a model of care that our children, and our community, can be proud of.”