Jefferson and Lewis counties choose Children's Home of Jefferson County to run bi‑county mobile crisis response

Jefferson County and Lewis County officials presented a joint mobile crisis response plan and said they selected the Children's Home of Jefferson County to operate the program for both counties.

County staff described the initiative as a reinstatement and expansion of mobile crisis capacity that existed in Jefferson County more than a decade ago. Officials said the Office of Mental Health (OMH) allocated start‑up funds of about $600,000 per county (roughly $1.2 million total across the two counties) and that long‑term sustainability will depend in part on billing Medicaid for some services.

The presentation summarized the planning process: an external project manager analyzed 911 and law‑enforcement data, consulted local providers and stakeholders, and helped design an RFP that drew two finalists. A selection committee from both counties chose the Children's Home of Jefferson County based on its existing local footprint and partnerships; the provider will subcontract for peer services and coordinate with local agencies named in the proposal.

County officials gave local call‑volume and geography details used to size the response: the highest volume of need was concentrated around the Watertown ZIP code (about half of projected demand), and 75% of in‑person responses were within a roughly 30‑minute travel radius of Watertown. Call volumes peak in the late afternoon and evening; typical daily counts were described as ranging from zero to six calls on many days, with occasional higher spikes. Local hotline call patterns differed slightly, with highest volume near 8–9 p.m. and lower volume overnight.

Program components described include telephonic triage, in‑person mobile response (a two‑person team combining a licensed clinician and an unlicensed worker such as a peer specialist), same‑day follow‑up by phone or in person, and coordination with law enforcement. County presenters said the current operating assumption is co‑response with law enforcement (the mobile team would “stand by until law enforcement clears the scene”); they noted other jurisdictions use non‑law‑enforcement first responders but said Jefferson and Lewis counties are not planning that model at launch.

Officials said the RFP was administered by Jefferson County, that the selection committee notified the chosen provider, that a contract was approved April 1 (as described in the presentation), and that Jefferson County staff submitted the mobile crisis plan to the Office of Mental Health for approval. Presenters said some mobile crisis services could be operating by July 1, subject to OMH approval and implementation milestones.

Questions from legislators focused on staffing, physical locations for vehicles and clinic access, who pays employees under the subcontracting model, and the phone lines the public will use. Presenters said the Children's Home will staff the licensed clinician positions, peer services will be provided through subcontract partners, vehicles will be deployed from county locations and rotate based on staff availability, and there will be a main community line and a secondary direct access line for agencies and law enforcement.

County and contract details—contract amount, full staff roster, and exact operational start date—were not specified in the meeting record provided.

The presentation and Q&A concluded with staff saying they will continue community outreach and partner coordination as implementation proceeds.