Yellowstone City-County Health Department receives $750K Center…

YELLOWSTONE COUNTY MOBILE CRISIS TEAM PARTNERSHIP - YELLOWSTONE CITY COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT (RIVERSTONE HEALTH) WILL LAUNCH THE YELLOWSTONE COUNTY MOBILE CRISIS TEAM PARTNERSHIP TO BUILD A BEHAVIORAL‑HEALTH‑LED MOBILE CRISIS RESPONSE SYSTEM SERVING YELLOWSTONE COUNTY, MONTANA, THE STATE’S MOST POPULOUS COUNTY AND A REGIONAL HUB FOR HEALTH AND PUBLIC SAFETY SERVICES. THE PROJECT WILL SERVE INDIVIDUALS OF ALL AGES EXPERIENCING BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CRISES, INCLUDING YOUTH, ADULTS, VETERANS, PEOPLE WITH SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS, SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS, CO‑OCCURRING CONDITIONS, SUICIDAL IDEATION, OVERDOSE RISK, JUSTICE INVOLVEMENT, FREQUENT ED USE, AND RESIDENTS OF RURAL COMMUNITIES WITH LIMITED ACCESS TO CARE. THROUGH PHASED IMPLEMENTATION, MOBILE CRISIS TEAM (MCT) SERVICES WILL BEGIN IN BILLINGS WITHIN SIX MONTHS, EXPAND TO 24/7/365 COVERAGE BY YEAR 2, AND EXTEND COUNTYWIDE BY YEAR 3. SERVICES INCLUDE MOBILE ASSESSMENT, DE‑ESCALATION, SUICIDE AND OVERDOSE SCREENING, STABILIZATION, SAFETY PLANNING, CARE COORDINATION, FOLLOW‑UP WITHIN 72 HOURS, AND WARM HANDOFFS TO TREATMENT AND RECOVERY SUPPORTS. PARTNERSHIPS WITH MONTANA 988, YELLOWSTONE COUNTY 911, EMS, HOSPITALS, LAW ENFORCEMENT, THE COMMUNITY CRISIS CENTER, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROVIDERS, AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS WILL STRENGTHEN CRISIS SYSTEM COORDINATION. PROJECT GOALS INCLUDE IMPROVING ACCESS TO BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CARE, INCREASING DIVERSION FROM LAW‑ENFORCEMENT‑ONLY CRISIS RESPONSE, REDUCING ED UTILIZATION, STRENGTHENING PUBLIC SAFETY PARTNERSHIPS, AND IMPROVING CONTINUITY OF CARE. MEASURABLE OBJECTIVES INCLUDE REDUCING BEHAVIORAL‑HEALTH‑RELATED ED USE BY UP TO 25%, ACHIEVING 60% COMMUNITY-BASED STABILIZATION, INCREASING DIVERSION FROM INVOLUNTARY COMMITMENT AND INCARCERATION BY 10%, REDUCING LAW ENFORCEMENT TIME ON CRISIS CALLS BY 20%, COMPLETING 90% FOLLOW‑UP WITHIN 72 HOURS, INCREASING LINKAGE TO SERVICES BY 40%, AND ACHIEVING 85% CLIENT SATISFACTION.