Study details needed mental health services in region
The Record-EagleAug 21, 2021
Aug. 21—TRAVERSE CITY — An assessment of behavioral health crisis services in northern
The
Mental health and substance abuse services fall under the behavioral health services umbrella.
Recommendations coming out of the study include developing and expanding crisis services with some new programs and by adding on to existing programs, said
That means more psychiatric hospital beds, crisis residential beds, a crisis stabilization unit for walk-in services that would also allow law enforcement personnel to drop people off instead of taking them to emergency rooms, and a psychiatric urgent care center that would operate for about 12 hours a day, Atkinson said.
Specifically, the study recommends a crisis stabilization unit in
Children in the
"It seems there is so much that we need to do on a regional basis," Kadlec said. "While I appreciate that this is a good start, there are other things we can do to shore up the safety net for children who are experiencing mental health crises."
Other recommendations are to minimize reliance on first responders, Atkinson said.
"For decades behavioral health emergencies have had to go through systems that were designed for medical emergencies," Atkinson said. "What we're trying to do is have the first service that people access be one that is focused on behavioral health emergencies and not one that is trying to do triage amidst medical emergencies."
The study was done in six months in partnership with
"Northern Lakes will be assessing the reported recommendations and, through thoughtful planning with our community partners, will determine what can be accomplished,"
Northern Lakes applied for about
State Rep.
Atkinson said crisis services should also be available to all payer types, he said, though those who deliver services may have to prove that they can provide cost-effective services before commercial insurance companies will be on board.
"We want to make sure that your community has services which allow people to access them regardless of what insurance type that takes," Atkinson said, calling it a no-wrong-door approach. "You're not going to be shifted around or shuffled around based on what your insurance type is."
Another recommendation would be to offer transportation for those who need to travel long distances to get to an available bed, an effort that would free up law enforcement personnel. Some other states have programs that rely on retired officers and military personnel and peer supports to provide transportation at a much lower cost, he said.
Atkinson said people who work in emergency departments should be trained to be empathetic towards those with mental illness and not use phrases such as "frequent flyer" to describe people who use services a lot.
"When you say frequent flyer you're starting to place a set of judgements or beliefs on that person," he said. "You have to keep that hope alive, that people can change and maybe this is the time that will be helpful."
Kadlec is encouraged by the spotlight that is being shone on the mental health issue.
"Hopefully we'll be able to come together as a community and figure out what works best for adults and youth," she said. "I think this is a nut we can crack."
___
(c)2021 The Record-Eagle (Traverse City, Mich.)
Visit The Record-Eagle (Traverse City, Mich.) at record-eagle.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.