County officials and Palm Springs Mayor Robert Moon today announced the grand opening of RI’s 24-hour mental health urgent care facility, in Palm Springs, California, located at 2500 N. Palm Canyon Dr. “This is a huge opportunity for us to take one more piece of the overall behavioral health need, and give people access to these services for our community as a whole,” said Michelle DeArmond, Chief of Staff for Riverside Co. Board Supervisor John J. Benoit. DeArmond added that the facility provides more community services, in a more targeted and cost-effective way. “This is one opportunity where people who are in crisis, but don’t necessarily need to take up law enforcement time or use a hospital bed, can go in and receive support from people who are specialized in dealing specifically with mental health crisis.”

1. FOR RELEASE 9 A.M. ET, NOV 23, 2016 MORE
NEW 24/7 MENTAL HEALTH URGENT CARE FUNDED BY RIVERSIDE UNIVERSITY HEALTH SERVICES
OPENING IN PALM SPRINGS ANNOUNCED NOVEMBER 23RD
“Huge Opportunity to meet Community’s Overall Behavioral Healthcare Needs,” According to Riverside County Chief of
Staff Michelle DeArmond
Palm Springs, CA, November 23, 2016 -- County officials and Palm Springs Mayor
Robert Moon today announced the grand opening of RI’s 24-hour mental
health urgent care facility, in Palm Springs, California, located at 2500 N.
Palm Canyon Dr.
“This is a huge opportunity for us to take one more piece of the
overall behavioral health need, and give people access to these services for
our community as a whole,” said Michelle DeArmond, Chief of Staff for
Riverside Co. Board Supervisor John J. Benoit. DeArmond added that the
facility provides more
community services, in a
more targeted and cost-effective way. “This is one
opportunity where people who are in crisis, but don’t
necessarily need to take up law enforcement time or use a
hospital bed, can go in and receive support from people
who are specialized in dealing specifically with mental health crisis.”
“Our goal is to provide timely support before a situation becomes so volatile that people are
involuntarily held in hospital emergency rooms,” said Steve Steinberg, director of Riverside University Health
System (RUHS) Behavioral Health. “We are providing an environment and a level of services that engage
people in their recovery.”
Contact:
Carole Pfeil, Chief Communications and Marketing Officer
262 623 4054
2701 N. 16th Street, Phoenix, AZ 85006
www.riinternational.com
24-7 Mental Health Urgent Care Facility, located at
2500 N. Palm Canyon Drive, Suite A-4, Palm Springs, CA.
Left to right, RI International CEO,
David Covington, Palm Springs
Mayor, Robert Moon, Michelle
DeArmond, Chief of Staff for
Riverside Co. Board Supervisor
John J. Benoit, Steve Steinberg,
director of RUHS Behavioral
Health.

2. RI INTERNATIONAL ANNOUNCES GRAND OPENING OF NEWARK, DE CRISIS FACILITY PAGE 2
“One of the reasons our crisis services are rapidly expanding is because we’ve developed what we call
the living room approach,” said RI International CEO and President David Covington. “The Palm Springs facility
is our fourth added this year, bringing our total to 14 crisis facilities in five states across the U.S.,” said
Covington. “We marry clinical excellence with peer support, and work to make our facilities feel more like a
comfortable living room or resort, rather than an institution. Our staff is not separated from guests by
Plexiglas. We do this to help lessen stigma and provide healing spaces, welcoming environments conducive to
de-escalation and recovery,” added Covington.
The 24/7 Mental Health Urgent Care is for adults voluntarily seeking assistance. Services include
assessments, medication management and psychiatric support. During their stay, guests will participate in the
development of individualized care plans that include recovery education, peer-to-peer support, mental
health services, nutritional counseling and coordination and referral to community-based services.
The facility is funded by Riverside County through RUHS and operated by RI International.
ABOUT RI INTERNATIONAL: Headquartered in Phoenix, RI International is one of the nation’s leading
crisis services mental health providers. Founded as a non-profit in 1990, the Company is in Delaware,
Arizona, California, North Carolina, Washington State and New Zealand, has been accredited by Joint
Commission since 1992 and has certified more than 7,000 peers around the world since 2000.