Southwestern Behavioral Healthcare reports surge in crisis responses, says wait times have shrunk

Katie Adams, president and CEO of Southwestern Behavioral Healthcare, told the Van Buren County Council March 4 that her agency substantially expanded crisis services last year and has reduced access delays.

Adams said Southwestern served 4,827 county residents and responded to 5,655 crisis calls (an average of roughly 500–600 calls per month), adding that the agency logged about 97,000 total services and 3,962 bed days at its Steppingstone residential facility for county residents. "We have open access Monday through Friday where somebody can come in and get served that day," Adams said, urging awareness of the system’s availability.

Adams said the agency’s average time from intake to first treatment appointment was eight days for 2025, with availability to see doctors within two weeks and therapists within two weeks; she described expansion of services in 12 elementary schools and two middle schools — with plans to add a local high school this fall — and continued jail‑based services and competency restoration.

Adams also told the council that ARPA capital funds approved by the county are funding construction and that a soft opening of parts of the clinic is expected this summer, with a full open house planned for November after completion. Council members praised the crisis team’s work and asked about how school services are selected; Adams said staffing capacity and the school’s Medicaid population drive decisions and that Southwestern bills Medicaid for school‑based services.

The council did not take formal action on the report, but members thanked Southwestern for the presentation and the organization’s partnership with law enforcement and schools.