To respond to the emotional fallout sparked by this winter’s onslaught of fire, mud, and boulders, Hospice of Santa Barbara had to double its number of intake workers — from one to two — and bring on four more bereavement counselors. Among mental-health responders, that was just the tip of a very large iceberg.
Hundreds of mental-health responders — some licensed clinicians and others trained in the mental-health equivalent of first aid — took to the schools, where they created “compassion centers”; to the streets, where neighborhood repopulation was taking place; and to memorial services. Leading the effort was the county’s Behavioral Wellness department, but joining it was a far-flung sprawling coalition of clergy, psychologists, schools, hospice, and the Red Cross.
“There is no advice or anything you can say to make things better,” said the hospice center’s Amara Maliszewski. “You just have to be there, show up, and be present. Right now is crucial, but it will also be crucial several months from now when life has started to return to normal.”