Good mental health is important at every stage of your life, from childhood through adulthood. That's why Gold Coast Health Plan (GCHP) covers certain mental health services. We offer these services to GCHP members through our partner, Carelon Behavioral Health (Carelon).
If you or someone near you is having a mental health crisis, call the Ventura County Behavioral Health Access / Crisis Line at 1.866.998.2243. Crisis help is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Get a Covered Mental Health Assessment
Do you think you might need treatment? The first step is to get a mental health assessment. GCHP will cover your initial mental health assessment. It will be at no cost to you.
Get your mental health assessment at any time from a licensed mental health provider in the Carelon network. You don't need a referral or prior authorization. View a list of covered mental health providers.
Find a Behavioral Health Provider
After your first mental health assessment, your Primary Care Provider (PCP) or mental health provider may refer you to a specialist for more screenings.
Depending on the results from your mental health assessment and screenings, you may be covered for GCHP's outpatient mental health services or receive additional specialty services.
Download the Taking Care of Your Mental Health brochure for simple steps to help you access mental health care.
Outpatient Mental Health Services
If your provider determines that you need care, GCHP covers outpatient mental health services.
GCHP covers these outpatient mental health services for people of all ages who are in are in mild or moderate distress or have impairment of mental, emotional or functioning:
- Individual and group mental health evaluation and treatment
- Psychological testing to assess your mental health condition
- Skill development to improve attention, memory and problem-solving
- Outpatient services to monitor medication therapy
- Outpatient lab, medicines, supplies, and supplements
- Psychiatric consultations
Download the outpatient mental health services flyer to learn more.
Call Carelon at 1.855.765.9702. Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. If you use a TTY, call 1.800.735.2929. Visit the Carelon website.
Emergency Department (ED) Follow-Up
After an Emergency Department (ED) visit, GCHP and Carelon will follow up with you to help make a plan for your care and connect you to a behavioral health provider if you don’t already have one.
While it may be hard to talk about your feelings, GCHP and Carelon are here to support you.
Download the ED follow-up flyer to learn more.
Specialty Mental Health Services (SMHS)
If your mental health screening suggests a higher level of impairment, your provider will refer you to Ventura County Behavioral Health for Specialty Mental Health Services (SMHS). SMHS are available to Medi-Cal members who meet certain criteria.
SMHS may include:
- Behavioral health treatment
- Mental health and medication support
- Day treatment intensive services
- Crisis intervention
- Crisis stabilization
- Targeted case management
- Therapeutic services
- Intensive care coordination
- Intensive home-based services
- Therapeutic foster care
- Adult residential treatment
- Crisis residential treatment
- Acute psychiatric inpatient hospital services
- Psychiatric inpatient hospital professional services
- Psychiatric health facility services
Call the Ventura County Behavioral Health Crisis & Referral Line at 1.866.998.2243 for more information or to access SMHS services.
If you have an emergency, call 911.
Visit the Ventura County Behavioral Health website (English | Spanish).
Substance Use Disorder Services
If you're struggling with drug or alcohol use, help is available. Ventura County Behavioral Health provides referrals for GCHP members.
Call 1.844.385.9200 to learn more.
Have Questions?
For more information, contact:
- GCHP Member Services at 1.888.301.1228. If you use a TTY, call 711.
- Carelon Behavioral Health at 1.855.765.9702. If you use a TTY, call 1.800.735.2929.
