The devastating Southern California fires have deeply affected the Pacific Coast Psychology family. Several facilities where we provide services were evacuated under extreme fire danger and hundreds of our highly vulnerable and medically fragile patients were displaced. Not only were our beloved patients forcefully displaced due to this tragedy, but several of our very own team members were evacuated and impacted by these fires.
Clinicians Directly Involved in Evacuation Measures of Facilities
At Pacific Coast Psychology, one of our clinicians was at a facility providing psychotherapy services at the time the facility received the evacuation order.
We would like to commend our clinicians who did not hesitate to step in and help facilities and patients when evacuation orders came through. Our Business Development Manager and clinicians worked closely with facilities to track where patients who were evacuated were sent, and helped provide continuous support. Clinicians also provided therapeutic support to residents outside of their regular caseload as they struggled to process what was happening.
Clinicians Directly Impacted by Evacuations and Power Outages
Our executive leadership team was able to monitor the fire situations and convey information to impacted team members and facilities to ensure safety and reallocate resources as needed in response to power outages and evacuation notices in real time.
Right now, many of our patients feel afraid and confused. Some lack the capacity to understand what is happening or why. With limited resources, roads blocked, and facilities temporarily shuttered, they have limited access to normal familial support. Many of our clinicians were able to support emergency telehealth services to facilities they did not typically work with when colleagues were being notified of mandatory evacuations and power outages in their neighborhoods. Our clinicians and Medical Device Technicians have been impacted by these evacuations and are managing it in stride.
Many of our patients and employees have previous experience with wildfires. The rapid spreading of the recent fires were triggering events for many patients and employees of the Pacific Coast family.
How Pacific Coast Supports Victims of the Los Angeles Wildfires
Despite the challenges and obstacles faced by so many Angelinos, our Director of Clinical Operations was able to quickly reach out to all of our clinicians to confirm that they were safe, prepared, and were able to develop an effective contingency plan to care for patients.
We were able to work with our Marketing Operations Specialist to share resources with our community via our social media platforms and email, including general information about the fires, evacuation orders, where evacuation sites were located, and information on how to be safe with poor air and water quality.
We have also shared resources about how to contribute from outside of LA. There are many ways to help support, thanks to the abundance of nonprofit organizations that have been able to pool resources and provide safe havens, impromptu food drives, air filters, and relief funds. If you would like to contribute, here are those organizations:
- LAFD: https://lafd.org
- LAFD Foundation: https://supportlafd.org
- Watch Duty: https://app.watchduty.org
- Ready LA County: https://ready.lacounty.gov
How Pacific Coast Psychology Can Help
Pacific Coast Psychology is committed to supporting healthcare facilities and their residents, especially during times of crisis. Our team offers comprehensive mental health services designed to address the unique needs of residents in skilled nursing facilities. We provide:
- On-site psychotherapy and counseling services for residents dealing with trauma, anxiety, and depression.
- Emergency telehealth services to maintain continuity of care when in-person sessions are disrupted.
- Crisis intervention and support for facility staff managing high-stress situations.
- Collaboration with facility leadership to develop effective contingency plans for resident care during emergencies.
- Access to mental health resources and educational materials to help staff and residents cope with ongoing challenges.
If your facility has been impacted by the wildfires, Pacific Coast Psychology is here to help. Call us today at (805) 242-2429 for immediate support.
To contribute to our support efforts or learn more about how we can assist your facility, call Pacific Coast Psychology at (805) 242-2429.