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Local hospital outlines "Taylor—ounty's Promise" mobile crisis response and behavioral-health partnerships
Summary
Doctors Memorial/Taylor hospital and partners described a new mobile response system, 24/7 crisis phone line, telepsychiatry access, and subcontracts to Apalachee Center to expand outpatient and peer services for people with substance use disorders.
Lauren Clark, identified in the meeting as DMH CEO for Doctors Memorial (presenting the item), told commissioners the hospital is leading a collaborative initiative called Taylor—ounty's Promise to expand behavioral-health response and addiction services.
Clark said the program includes a 24/7 phone line for the mobile response team (an 800 number), telepsychiatry access through Taylor Memorial Hospital (TMH) for emergency psychiatric assessment in the ER, and partnerships that subcontract county grant funds to Apalachee Center for outpatient and medication-assisted treatment. Clark described the effort as collaboration among the hospital, TMH Behavioral Health, Apalachee Center and managing entities at the state/regional level.
Apalachee Center director Jill Hodges briefed the board on local outpatient services: medication-assisted treatment with nurse practitioners, substance-use counseling, peer specialist services, case management and transportation assistance for clients who lack means. Hodges said the center serves multiple counties including Taylor and provides peer-counseling supports and referrals to care. Clark noted upcoming clinician training on Aug. 20 (as described in the packet) and said the county grant funds would supplant services for uninsured or underinsured residents.
Why this matters: The program seeks to reduce crisis transports to other counties, expand local capacity for addiction and psychiatric care, and provide a single call number for mobile response. Clark emphasized telepsychiatry availability reduces unnecessary transports out of Taylor County.
Clark and Hodges provided service counts for the partnership (six months of activity reported in the packet) and told the board the county grant money supports outpatient and peer services and transportation for clients needing appointments. The presentation concluded with staff answering commissioners—larifying questions; no formal county action was recorded aside from receiving the report and acknowledging the partnership.
