Shanti Orange County

Shanti Orange County (Shanti OC) strengthens the health and well-being of our community through safe and affirming mental health care, wellness, and social services.

Shanti OC is a nonprofit organization providing safe, affirming mental health care, wellness, and social services to underserved Orange County residents. Founded in 1987, when Laguna Beach was at the center of the AIDS epidemic and had one of the highest per capita AIDS case rates in the nation, Shanti OC was established to provide end-of-life emotional support, compassionate companionship, and practical assistance to people living with AIDS. At a time when stigma, fear, and isolation were widespread, Shanti OC offered dignity, human connection, and essential support to individuals and families facing profound loss and uncertainty.

As treatment advances changed the trajectory of HIV/AIDS and community needs evolved, Shanti OC expanded our services to include medication assistance, prevention education, case management, counseling, and broader health-related social services. Over time, Shanti OC continued to adapt in response to emerging needs across Orange County, building a model of care that addresses not only immediate behavioral health concerns but also the broader social and emotional factors that affect long-term wellbeing.

Today, in our fourth decade, Shanti OC continues this legacy of compassionate care through trauma-informed mental health services, psychological testing, peer support, care navigation, wellness programming, and HIV-related supportive services. We serve many community members who face significant barriers to care, including those who are low-income, uninsured, LGBTQ+, Spanish-speaking, living with chronic health conditions, or navigating trauma, stigma, and social isolation. To address these varied needs, services are offered both in person and via telehealth, with therapy available in English and Spanish. Grounded in dignity, inclusion, and responsiveness, Shanti Orange County remains committed to strengthening the health and well-being of the community through whole-person, affirming care.

Over the past several years, Shanti OC has grown significantly in response to rising community need. Importantly, the number of clients served has nearly tripled, increasing from 528 in 2020 to 1,511 in 2025. To meet this demand, Shanti OC expanded staffing and infrastructure, growing from 19 staff in 2019 to 49 staff plus 10 graduate interns, while adding five new clinical offices in early 2025 to improve capacity and reduce wait times. As a result, Shanti OC now provides affirming, trauma-informed mental health services to more than 1,500 people annually through therapy, psychological testing, peer support, care navigation, and referrals to medical and social services.

Looking ahead, Shanti OC’s current goals are to: provide trauma-informed mental health care to at least 1,500 individuals; ensure at least 70% of clients with substance use disorder demonstrate reduced depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, domestic violence issues, and social isolation; help at least 85% of clients with HIV and concurrent addiction challenges maintain an undetectable viral load; provide at least 50 clients with Psychological Testing and treatment plans that improve management of neurodivergence and reduce symptoms; and continue expanding timely access to affirming, culturally responsive care for vulnerable Orange County residents.

Shanti OC’s most pressing needs include sustaining affordable mental health services for low-income and uninsured clients; expanding access to affirming, culturally responsive care for LGBTQ+ clients, including specialized services for transgender individuals; maintaining and growing psychological testing capacity, including autism assessments for adults; recruiting, training, and retaining qualified clinical staff; and diversifying revenue to reduce vulnerability to public funding and insurance reimbursement changes.

Shanti OC serves community members who are often least likely to access care elsewhere: 80% of our clients are low-income, 70% identify as LGBTQ+, and 40% are Hispanic.

With a projected FY2027 organizational budget of approximately $4.67 million and a mental health program budget of approximately $3.8 million, continued philanthropic investment is essential to help Shanti OC reduce wait times, sustain access, and meet growing demand for affirming care.

Headquartered in Laguna Hills, Shanti OC serves residents from all over Orange County both in person at our offices and virtually through telehealth services.

At Shanti Orange County, we believe every person deserves access to safe and compassionate care. Our work is rooted in dignity, healing, and connection, especially for individuals who have too often encountered stigma, discrimination, or barriers when seeking support. Each day, we walk alongside people facing trauma, mental health challenges, chronic illness, substance use, and social isolation, offering services designed to strengthen resilience, improve health outcomes, and help people move toward greater stability and wellbeing.

What makes Shanti OC distinctive is our ability to provide whole-person, trauma-informed care in an affirming environment for those who are too often overlooked by traditional healthcare systems. As community needs have grown, Shanti OC has grown with intention. Recently, we expanded our team, added new clinical offices, strengthened our leadership structure, and invested in specialized staff training to ensure high-quality, culturally responsive care.

We are also filling critical gaps in Orange County’s behavioral health system. Shanti OC is the only mental health provider in South Orange County offering specialized services for transgender clients, and one of only two providers in the county offering psychological testing through CalOptima. We are also the only provider offering autism assessments for adults through that pathway. In addition, as the backbone agency for the Orange County LGBTQ+ CommUnity Collective, we work not only to meet individual needs, but also to advance broader systems of equity and support.

As the need for affirming mental health care continues to rise, our commitment remains steadfast: to meet people where they are, reduce barriers to care, and ensure that every person we serve feels seen, respected, and supported on their path toward healing.

From a governance perspective, one of our greatest strengths at Shanti OC has been the intentional strengthening of our board itself by seeking individuals who not only care deeply about the mission, but who also bring skills in finance, strategy, operations, development, and community leadership.

Just as importantly, we have worked to create a governance culture that empowers our staff to succeed. We’ve strengthened the organization’s financial health and are now consistently operating in the black. That stability allows us to make intentional decisions about mission related reinvestment, allowing us to expand our office space, increase our capacity, and ultimately serve more clients.

Like many nonprofits, revenue diversification remains a key priority. We know that long-term sustainability requires a broader base of support, and the board is actively working to expand fundraising capacity and deepen relationships with donors and partners. We are also experiencing increased demand for services, which is both affirming and complex.

Another ongoing challenge is ensuring the community fully understands and champions what Shanti OC does. We are leaning into our role as ambassadors helping to tell Shanti OC’s story more effectively, opening doors, and inviting others to be part of the mission. For me personally, my connection to Shanti OC is deeply rooted in its identity as “the agency with the caring heart.” That’s not just something we say, it’s something that's felt in the way clients are supported and in the way this organization shows up for people during some of the most vulnerable moments in their lives. I choose to volunteer and lead here because I believe in that kind of care, and in the responsibility we have to sustain and grow it.

Being part of this work, helping to guide the organization, strengthen its foundation, and expand its reach, is both a privilege and a commitment. I’m proud of how far we’ve come, and even more motivated by where we’re going.