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Integrated Family Services urges Gates County to publicize mobile crisis response; says service diverts most clients from hospitalization
Summary
Integrated Family Services representatives described a mobile crisis program that responds to law enforcement and 988 referrals, said the service is free to residents and billed to Medicaid or state funds when available, and asked county officials to help publicize the service across Gates County.
Integrated Family Services told the Gates County Board of Commissioners on July 8 that its mobile crisis teams provide on‑scene assessments and referrals for residents experiencing behavioral‑health emergencies, and that the service is available to Gates County at no out‑of‑pocket cost to the individual.
Keith Ham, the presenter, said the nonprofit is the only mobile crisis provider endorsed by Trillium Health Resources in much of northeastern North Carolina and described a model that accepts law‑enforcement referrals even when an individual initially declines services. "If law enforcement, magistrates, or EMS request us to send a worker to a location, we will go and we won't even ask for the consent of the individual," Ham said, adding that in most cases people consent after the team arrives.
Ham told commissioners the program can bill Medicaid, Medicare or private insurance when available and that state funding and an IPRS fund cover services for uninsured residents. When a commissioner asked whether funds came from Executive Order 33, Ham replied, "I don't know," and reiterated that Medicaid and state funding are the primary sources he is aware of.
Board members pressed about response times for rural Gates County; Ham estimated typical responses would be "less than an hour," noting teams also operate from neighboring counties and that telehealth remains an option when face‑to‑face response is not feasible.
Ham also urged the board to help publicize the service, noting staff had distributed rack cards with a QR code and offered to present to civic groups. "Help me to get the word out," he told the commissioners. The board agreed staff would post information and contact details on the county website.
Why it matters: Mobile crisis response aims to divert people from hospitalizations and incarceration to community‑based care, a shift counties across North Carolina are pursuing to reduce costs and improve outcomes. The presentation gave local officials an outline of funding, response capabilities and a request for local outreach.
The board did not take any formal action on contracting or funding during the presentation. Commissioners asked staff to post information and coordinate outreach so residents and first responders can quickly identify the service and contact details.
