Tracie Haselhorst and Jennifer Johnson at The Center for Counseling & Consultation are combining their experience and education to help support people in crisis who could use a helping hand sooner rather than later.
The Mobile Crisis Response program is in its infancy but has already demonstrated its value to several people facing depression, psychosis and other mental-health issues, said Haselhorst, The Center’s clinical director.
This new effort is designed to support people of all ages in The Center’s four-county service area – Barton, Pawnee, Rice and Stafford.
“We are just getting this program started with only two people available to respond now in our mobile effort,” Haselhorst said. “We need more professionals on staff to offer the service 24/7. Our goal is to have five people available to respond in our mobile-response vehicle.”
These five would include a therapist, case manager, peer-support specialist, registered nurse and medication provider. At least two would respond to a call.
“The crises people face could entail any number of mental-health concerns that are new or are escalating,” Haselhorst said. “There also could be the threat of suicide or homicide.
“They might have been able to cope yesterday but need help today,” she continued, noting anyone can call for Mobile Crisis Response. “You don’t have to be a client of The Center.”
After the response, the person might seek further services at The Center, 5815 Broadway, or another entity. However, further treatment is entirely up to the person involved.
The initial call might come from the person in crisis, or from a family member, friend, employer, school district – anywhere.
“The main goal is to prevent a trip to the emergency room and/or jail,” Haselhorst explained. “We don’t want to see people in jail because of a mental-health issue.
“Instead, we are here to offer help as quickly as possible. We want to care for people early in hopes of de-escalating the problem. We know that sometimes people don’t want to come to The Center because of privacy or other concerns. Or they have no transportation. Now we can come to them.”
If someone opts for further care at The Center, services include individual and group therapy, case management, housing and employment support, substance-use disorder therapy and medication-assisted treatment.
CCBHC
This list of services is a direct result of The Center’s holistic approach as a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic. Full certification was awarded earlier this year.
“As we prepared for certification, we informed the state of our plans and now we are following through on those plans,” said Johnson, open-access and crisis-team leader. “We have seen an increase in the number of crises and believe mobile response can be part of the solution.
“In addition, we can guide you to other resources offered by our community partners. We want people to be able to move on with their lives after the immediate crisis is over.”
Johnson and Haselhorst have worked together in crisis response for seven years. “This partnership definitely helps us better serve our clients and the community,” Johnson noted. “We collaborate constantly and value one another’s insights.”
Julie Kramp, The Center’s executive director, said “Tracie and Jennifer are filling an essential function of our non-profit agency. Both have a great deal of experience with crisis intervention and work closely with Laura Patzner, our crisis case manager.
“All three are highly skilled therapists with a depth of compassion, clarity and calmness necessary while helping those facing a mental-health crisis. They remain calm, assess the situation and respond appropriately.”
More information
Crisis phone numbers include: The Center’s crisis lines, 620-792-2544 and 1-800-875-2544; National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 1-800-273-8255; and the national suicide/crisis number, 988. A text to 741741 also is available.
The Center for Counseling & Consultation is a Community Mental Health Center serving Barton, Pawnee, Rice and Stafford counties. Professionally trained personnel offer: individual and group therapy; marriage and family counseling; community-support services; community-based services; psychosocial rehabilitation; peer support; and medication management. The confidential 24/7 crisis hotline number is 800-875-2544.
