Gulf Coast Social Services outlines youth mobile crisis response for Terrebonne Parish

Brandy Leeritt, region 3 director of operations for Gulf Coast Social Services, told the Terrebonne Parish Council on Dec. 11 that the nonprofit has been awarded the youth mobile crisis response team for the lower seven parishes with a current focus on Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes.

Leeritt said the program serves youth ages 0–20, offers a live crisis hotline and a mobile response “just to go” approach intended to intervene and stabilize young people in crisis. “We do not bill them,” Leeritt said of families; the program is reimbursed primarily through Medicaid, she said, and Gulf Coast will absorb costs for uninsured or underinsured families when the team responds in person.

The service is paired with 988, the national suicide crisis line, and is staffed by trained professionals who, Leeritt said, are taught techniques by LSU doctors. She described two operational goals: to avoid inpatient hospitalizations and to reduce law enforcement involvement in youth mental-health calls by responding directly when appropriate. “We do create a crisis plan, and we do provide resources. So the follow-up, I guess, is the most important part of all of this,” Leeritt said.

Councilman Kevin Champagne, who invited Leeritt to present, added operational details he said were not mentioned during the presentation: the mobile team will transport a person to the hospital in their own vehicles when needed, and the team plans to follow up for six or seven days after a crisis response. Councilmember Chauvin asked whether the organization could distribute printed materials at local businesses and whether it could enter schools for outreach; Leeritt said she has met with the parish director of child welfare and attendance and has a meeting scheduled for Jan. 31 to brief Terrebonne Parish counselors.

Leeritt said Gulf Coast is exploring ways to integrate its response with 911 and emergency services. A council speaker suggested Gulf Coast discuss coordination with the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office so deputies can request the crisis team when appropriate.

Leeritt asked the council and the public to help publicize the hotline and outreach materials; she said information is available on the organization’s website and that she would provide flyers to councilmembers who request them.

The presentation was informational; no formal council action was recorded on the item during the meeting.