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Emergence Health Network presents annual report; highlights crisis‑response expansions and mobile clinics
Summary
Emergence Health Network told council it served more than 36,000 people last fiscal year, expanded school‑based services and crisis teams, answered 25,000 crisis calls and added mobile clinics and a diversion partnership with the county.
Emergence Health Network (EHN) presented its fiscal year 2024 annual report to the City Council on Feb. 4, highlighting expanded crisis‑response services, school‑based mental‑health programs and new mobile clinic capacity.
Lede facts: CEO Christy Daugherty said EHN served more than 36,000 people during the fiscal year ending Aug. 31, 2024, answered more than 25,000 crisis line calls, and secured nearly $18.8 million in grant funding to expand services including mobile clinics and a restorative justice center.
Why it mattered: Council members praised EHN’s role in local crisis response and recovery — particularly its crisis intervention team (CIT) embedded with several law‑enforcement agencies, and its integration of 988/911 operations — that officials said has helped de‑escalate calls that might otherwise have resulted in arrests or emergency‑room visits.
Key program highlights: EHN expanded school‑based mental‑health services (10 campuses) and said it has trained more than 2,000 people in Mental Health First Aid. EHN said it now has 20 CIT teams deployed and is adding diversion services to the extended observation unit at 1600 Montana, enabling short‑term observation, medication and linkage to services in lieu of jail or ER stays. EHN also described two new mobile clinic vans — including a children’s unit — designed to provide on‑site assessments at schools and elsewhere.
Funding and workforce: The agency said it brought in $18.8 million in grants in FY24, is embracing AI tools to reduce clinician documentation time and improve coding, and is advocating for higher attendant‑care wages for individuals serving people with intellectual or developmental disabilities (targeting at least $15 an hour).
Council response: Councilmembers thanked EHN for the report. Representative Fierro, who placed the item on the agenda, praised the agency’s work with police and schools. EHN said it will share the full interactive digital annual report with council and the public.
