Alter Health Group Awarded FEMA CalHOPE Contract to Provide Emotional Support for Californians Impacted by COVID-19

Leading Orange County, Calif. Provider of Residential and Outpatient Recovery Services Launches BeWellLine.com to Deliver No Cost Peer-to-Peer Support and Counseling Throughout the State

DANA POINT, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Alter Health Group is pleased to announce it has been selected by California Mental Health Services Authority (CalMHSA) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to provide free crisis support peer counseling to anyone impacted by COVID-19 as part of the CalHOPE.org initiative. This is a free service funded by FEMA and it is available, without qualifications, to anyone who is looking to connect with support and resources.

“The CalHOPE program provides an important array of services to support the people of California through the stress of the public health emergency,” said California Department of Health Care Services director, Will Lightbourne. “We are pleased to have Alter Health Group reach residents in their area with critical crisis counseling services.”

To launch this timely initiative, Alter Health Group hired 43 new full-time employees and created www.BeWellLine.com. Its goal is to assist individuals and communities recovering from the effects of COVID-19 – whether they contracted the virus, lost a loved one, or are simply experiencing emotional trauma from the pandemic – everyone is entitled to help. Californians can call 855.838.6910 via telephone, arrange a text chat, or join a web conference for groups or families up to six times. Guests will be able to ask questions, get advice and receive long-term support from a crisis support counselor.

“As we emerge from the pandemic, we’re seeing a much greater understanding of the importance of mental health wellness,” said Crystal Catarama, vice president of innovation and strategy at Alter Health Group. “So many people are suffering from anxiety, depression and financial pressures – and this program is designed to be part of the solution to some of these larger problems we are facing as a society. No one should suffer alone and everyone deserves an empathetic ear during unprecedented times such as these. We are proud to deliver a platform for providing this much-needed support.”

BeWellLine.com’s services are non-clinical but are provided by peers who have themselves come through challenges and are passionate about helping others move forward. Peer-level support is continuing to be embraced as a reliable and effective way to provide care, and all of the BeWellLine’s case managers, medical experts and trained call center workers have participated in rigorous Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)-approved training in order to help their fellow Californians during and after the COVID pandemic. The model of care is based on the FEMA Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training Program (CCP) and is designed to provide the kind of on-demand, rapid access, free-of-charge care that extends resources to those who might not otherwise have access to a healthy forum to deal with the everyday stresses of the pandemic. Special sessions are held weekly to address the unique needs of groups including: Spanish language, LGBTQIA+, substance abuse and recovery support and Jewish cultural support groups.

Alter Health Group has built a name for its proven substance abuse and mental health residential and outpatient recovery centers throughout Orange County, Calif. It is now extending its offerings to meet the continued demand for telehealth therapy, counseling and mental and emotional health needs of the greater community at large. Both via the BeWellLine and its customized tele-mental health offerings, Alter Health Group is bridging the gap in care with the type of accessibility and convenience today’s consumers are demanding. Alter Health Group is differentiated by its dedication to initiate an artificial intelligence (AI)- and data science-driven predictive modeling approach that leads to a lower relapse rate and more efficient care.

To learn more about the Be Well Line initiative, visit www.BeWellLine.com or call 855.838.6910. To learn more about Alter Health Group, visit www.alterhealthgroup.com.

ABOUT ALTER HEALTH GROUP: Founded in 2019, Alter Health Group is a leading Orange County, Calif. residential behavioral health treatment program that specializes in treating substance use disorder, primary mental health, and co-occurring disorders, specializing in offering autism-informed care. Alter uses a variety of evidence-based tools and techniques for the treatment of addiction and co-occurring mental health issues, including patients with PTSD, depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts and obsessive-compulsive thoughts and behaviors. Alter’s mission is to provide care for mental health issues to help people live full, happy lives by combining evidence and a personal touch with compassion and understanding to help people recover, grow and build a better life than they had before.