Did you know nearly 1 in 7 adults in California struggles with mental health, yet many never get the help they need? If your organization runs wraparound services in California, you’ve seen this firsthand. You meet with someone, set up the services they need—therapy, housing support, substance use, or mental health counseling—and then? They don’t show up for follow-ups.
Why? Barriers keep them from staying engaged:
- Distance & transportation issues: Many live hours from the nearest clinic.
- Long wait times: Even if they want help, services can take weeks to start.
- Tech & communication gaps: They miss calls, don’t have WiFi for telehealth, or lose access to care teams.
The result? People slip through the cracks, and by the time they resurface, it’s in crisis mode.
I’m Russ Evans, a mobile healthcare advocate here at AVAN Mobility. One of my passions is helping organizations go in the right direction and find exactly what they need to save lives all over the country. We manufacture several mobile medical vehicles that organizations like yours use to do exactly that.
I know the challenges you’re facing—trying to reach people, keep them engaged, and connect them with wraparound services before it’s too late.
But what if there was a way to make that easier? In this article, we’ll explore how wraparound services combined with mobile counseling can bridge these gaps and help more people in California and all over the U.S. get the care they need.
Having problems providing wraparound services in California?
Maybe you’re a health director trying to figure out how to bring wraparound services in California to tribal communities. Or, maybe you run an outreach organization, and you’re feeling beyond frustrated because, as we mentioned earlier, people just aren’t showing up for the services you’ve worked so hard to provide.
If that sounds familiar, I hear you. And you’re not alone. The issue isn’t that people don’t need help—it’s that they can’t access it.
Think about the folks you serve and these barriers below:
Transportation
California is home to over 100 federally recognized tribes, many of which are in remote regions where public transportation is nonexistent, and personal vehicles aren’t always an option.
If someone in Humboldt County, the Owens Valley, or the Mojave Desert needs mental health care but doesn’t have a car, they’re stuck. And for those relying on public transit, a one-way trip to the nearest provider could take hours—if transit even reaches their area at all.
Unreliable internet
Internet? What internet? While telehealth has expanded in recent years, more than 2.3 million Californians lack high-speed internet at home. Virtual counseling sounds great in theory but in reality? Spotty internet or no WiFi at all makes telehealth unreliable or downright impossible.
Client engagement
Even if you manage to get people into an initial meeting, keeping them engaged is a battle. They’ve got bigger things to worry about—like housing, food, or just surviving day to day.
And let’s be real—if your services are locked inside a building, stuck on a fixed schedule, or reliant on technology that people don’t have access to, the problem isn’t going away. That’s probably why you’re here—searching for a better way to close the gap.
In the next section, we’ll discuss how a mobile counseling van can help solve some of these challenges by bringing services directly to people—on their terms.
Mobile Counseling Van: The key to solving wraparound service barriers in California
All the barriers we just talked about—transportation, internet access, engagement—what if they weren’t barriers anymore? Would that sound too good to be true? The reality is there’s a way to break down these obstacles.
One solution? Going mobile. A Mobile Counseling Van takes wraparound services in California out of fixed locations and directly to the people who need them. It’s a simple shift—but one that changes everything.
Transportation isn’t an issue when care comes to them
For thousands of people in tribal lands, the Central Valley, and Northern California’s rural towns, getting to an appointment isn’t just inconvenient—it’s impossible. No car. What bus route? No ride.
But what if you could bring your wraparound services to them instead? A Mobile Counseling Van eliminates that hurdle because you’re in control of where care happens. You’re not waiting for clients to find a way to you—you’re driving straight to them.
No internet? No problem. Mobile counseling units can bring connectivity
In places like Lassen County, Modoc County, or the Eastern Sierra, internet access is still unreliable or nonexistent. And without a stable connection, telehealth appointments fall apart.
That’s where a Mobile Counseling Van changes the game. If a client doesn’t have internet, you bring it to them. Mobile units can be equipped with Starlink or other satellite-based WiFi, letting clients connect with specialists in real-time—right from the van. No dropped calls, no missed connections. Just uninterrupted care.
Engagement goes up when barriers come down
Let’s be honest—people disengage from services when the effort to stay connected outweighs the benefits. If making an appointment means arranging a ride, finding childcare, and hoping the internet works, most people won’t follow through.
But when you take those barriers away? Suddenly, getting help feels possible. A Mobile Counseling Van puts your wraparound services out in the open, where people live, work, and gather. When care is visible and accessible, people are more likely to take advantage of it.
Wraparound services examples
Let’s take a look at two hypothetical examples to paint a clearer picture of how your organization can provide wraparound services in a mobile counseling unit.
Helping adults in rural California get mental health care
A behavioral health clinic in Northern California faced a tough challenge—too many adults needed mental health care but weren’t getting it.
Here’s why:
The drive was too long: Some clients lived hours from the nearest provider, and public transit wasn’t an option.
They didn’t have stable housing: Many people moved frequently, making it hard to keep appointments.
They didn’t trust traditional clinics: Some had past negative experiences and avoided seeking help.
To fix this, the clinic launched a Mobile Counseling Van to bring wraparound services for adults directly to the community. The van provided:
- A private space with a living room feel for counseling, making care more approachable.
- Onboard WiFi, allowing clients to connect with specialists remotely.
- Support beyond mental health, including help with housing, food assistance, and addiction recovery.
Instead of clients struggling to find ‘wraparound services near me on Google’, the services came to them—and engagement doubled.
Bringing mental health care to youth where they are
A nonprofit in Los Angeles saw a big problem—too many teens were struggling, but not enough were getting help.
Here’s what was stopping them:
- They didn’t know how to ask for help: Many didn’t even realize mental health care was an option.
- They felt disconnected: Therapy didn’t feel like something for “people like them.”
- They didn’t want to be seen in a clinic: Stigma kept them from walking through the doors.
So, the nonprofit hit the road with a Mobile Counseling Van to offer wraparound services for youth in places where teens already felt comfortable:
- At schools and after-school programs: Offering check-ins in a familiar space.
- At local events and skateparks: Removing the pressure of a formal setting.
- During crisis situations: Being there when young people needed help the most.
When wraparound services for mental health were more accessible, the organization built trust, increased engagement, and helped more youth get the care they needed.
Learn more about making wraparound services more accessible in California
In this article, we covered the real challenges organizations face when trying to provide wraparound services in California.
The big takeaway? A mobile approach breaks down the barriers that keep people from accessing care. Instead of hoping clients make it to an appointment, you bring the care to them—making services more effective, more accessible, and more impactful.
If you’re ready to explore how a Mobile Counseling Van could fit into your program, click the button below to contact me. I’d love to hear more about your challenges and see if going mobile is the right fit for your organization.
Not quite ready to chat? No problem. I have a few other resources that might help you learn more. Check them out, and when you’re ready, let’s talk.
Start with reading our article on the Mobile Counseling Van to learn what it’s all about.
After that, you should check out our article on how you can provide telehealth wraparound services from a mobile medical unit.
