Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Behavioral Health Mobile Crisis topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
New mobile crisis team goes live; county advances state-funded mobile-crisis budget amendment
Summary
Health officials told the Health, Social, Educational and Environmental Committee May 19 that a county-contracted mobile crisis team operated by PeopleUSA began limited operations and that a state aid budget amendment to underwrite the service advanced.
Putnam County health officials and the contractor PeopleUSA told the county Health, Social, Educational and Environmental Committee on May 19 that a newly operational mobile crisis team has begun limited weekday service and is intended to reduce reliance on law enforcement and emergency rooms for behavioral-health emergencies.
Paul Tang, the countydirector of mental health, and PeopleUSA representatives said the team has been operating approximately three weeks on a pilot schedule (Monday-Friday, 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.) and that staff are engaging schools, law enforcement and community partners to route appropriate calls to the team.
Committee members asked how the service is being publicized and whether callers may reach the team anonymously; county staff said providers, school administrators and law enforcement had been briefed and the team is distributing outreach materials; callers may call on behalf of someone else and the team can provide phone advice or an in-person response when appropriate.
PeopleUSA staff said the mobile crisis team can, on a voluntary basis, transport a person for further treatment (for example to Westchester facilities) if needed. County staff said Putnam Hospital emergency services will continue to assess and accept patients who arrive at the hospital.
The committee approved a budgetary amendment to accept state aid that will support the mobile-crisis unit. Health department staff said the item (listed on the agenda as state aid for mobile crisis) was a pass-through from the Office of Mental Health and that the county expects to coordinate reimbursements.
Members of the public and committee members also discussed a separately proposed stabilization center site (a proposed address on Stony Avenue) and the planning-board process for the center; county staff said PeopleUSA had presented to the Carmel planning board and community outreach was underway.
The mobile crisis team is intended to be one piece of a broader county strategy that includes a future, state-licensed stabilization center. Committee members asked that the mobile-crisis phone number, operating hours and referral guidance be published widely; officials said they would supply materials to the committee and the sheriff's office and other partners.
