New 24/7 Indio Behavioral Health Clinic to bring mental health services to east valley

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) - A new 24/7, no-appointment needed mental health clinic in Indio is bringing much needed services to the East Valley, officials with Riverside University Health say.

The Indio Behavioral Health Crisis Walk-In Center opened earlier this week. It comes as a Palm Springs mental health clinic, San Gorgonio Memorial Hospital Behavioral Health, is set to close at the end of August.

At 47-915 Oasis St, Suite B, patients can walk in with no appointment or referral needed, regardless of insurance or ability to pay.

Clinic Director Karyn Sprinkle says that's rare as patients typically face many challenges to receiving care.

"A huge barrier for people is if they want to get mental health services. They call, they have to wait two months, sometimes three months to see a psychiatrist. Then in the meantime, they kind of get lost in the system. So for us, you can come here, you can see all the disciplines, like a therapist, psychiatrist, a peer." Sprinkle says.

Officials say it's an important step in providing the community with mental health services outside of an emergency room or jail cell.

Sprinkle says their services range from mental health holds, psych evaluations, therapy sessions, and drug treatment.

It comes as recent studies by HARC showed locals are struggling to find fast, affordable mental health care. According to data from 2025, over 36% of locals experienced mental health issues. However, of the more than 150,000 with a mental health disorder, just 47% actually received treatment.

Sprinkle says that's apart of a growing issue also impacting youth, who have minimal options in the Coachella Valley.

"One of the major downfalls in our community is services for our youth. Currently there are no youth mental health facilities other than an involuntary unit, which can be traumatic and unnecessary. So this will be a place where our young kiddos can go for crisis services, therapy, medication management, and psychiatry services as needed," she said.

Now, Sprinkle hopes it's a first step for many hoping to heal.

"We're not just going to see you and then good luck, you're out the door. We're going to make sure that you're connected with what the next steps are, whether that's outpatient services or inpatient treatment, residential, shelter, etc," Sprinkle said.

For more information on the clinic, visit: https://www.wellnessequityalliance.com/crisis-walk-in-center-cwic.