(Santa Ana, CA) – The Orange County Health Care Agency (HCA) is proud to announce the launch of the OC Navigator, an online resource navigation tool designed to help community members connect with local mental health, substance use treatment and supportive resources including physical, transportation, education, housing, childcare, and more. Funded by the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) Innovation component, the OC Navigator project was activated to facilitate access to diverse local resources targeted to their unique individual needs.
“Orange County boasts hundreds of public and private agencies and community groups who are dedicated to serving others, but it can be challenging to find and coordinate” said Dr. Clayton Chau, HCA Director. “Visiting OCNavigator.org allows a person, who may already struggle in their circumstances, to focus on what’s most important right now – securing immediate and appropriate services to promote their health and well-being.”
The HCA worked with the Chorus Innovations, Inc., a digital platform developer, along with 185 community members, representing 65 Orange County agencies, to curate content for the platform, ensuring the information is accurate, accessible, trustworthy, reflective of the community, and includes a focus on whole person care. The digital resources displayed on the OC Navigator website were carefully designed and organized in a welcoming and easy to understand format, ideal for those who desire a self-guided exploration of local resources.
“OC Navigator is a great example of the positive impact of public-private partnerships,” said Chairman Doug Chaffee, Fourth District Supervisor. “It benefits not only those in need, but also law enforcement and other first responders who frequently go the extra mile to connect people to appropriate resources post-emergency.”
Vice Chairman Donald Wagner, Third District, added, “As we recover from the pandemic, there are many people who need extra support. I’m thankful the County offers additional tools for residents, such as OC Navigator, which can connect people to the right resources as quickly as possible.”
“Here at the County, we are transforming the way services and resources are offered to our residents,” said Supervisor Andrew Do, First District. “The OC Navigator offers direct resources in multiple languages for anyone seeking healthcare and supportive services, such as housing, food, family safety, childcare, legal help, transportation needs, and so much more. And for individuals unsure on where to start, the online resource tool offers a fast and easy survey that will generate resources based on their responses.”
OC Navigator includes contact information for hundreds of local agencies and printable resource guides, in addition to 24/7 live support through OC Links navigators who can discuss a person’s needs and link them to resources including child and adult mental health services, alcohol and drug programs, crisis services, and prevention/early intervention programs.
Supervisor Katrina Foley, Second District, said, “OC Navigator offers a one-stop service resource center for Orange County residents. Now more than ever, residents need simple yet comprehensive access to resources to meet their ever-evolving needs. OC Navigator is the long-awaited solution to bridging the service gaps between our community and existing county resources.”
“OC Navigator was created to enhance access to life-saving resources and is another great example of what can be achieved by leveraging public-private partnerships,” said Supervisor Lisa Bartlett, Fifth District. “I am thankful to HCA and the hundreds of community members who worked together to launch this powerful new data tool which will help improve the overall quality of life of all Orange County residents.”
OC Navigator resources and support are available in 9 languages including English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Korean, Arabic, Farsi, Mandarin, Khmer, and Tagalog. The OC navigator website has acquired approximately 150,000 page views to date.
For more information on OC Navigator, visit www.ocnavigator.org or call (855) 625-4657.
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