The local Mobile Crisis Response (MCR) program was born last year, and thanks to a state grant, it will grow significantly in upcoming months, said Wendy Lockwood, executive director of The Center for Counseling & Consultation, 5815 Broadway.
Lockwood, with the staff’s help, applied for the $200,000 grant, which was awarded by The Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS).
The funds will be used for staff, which will allow The Center to offer 24/7 MCR coverage in Barton, Pawnee, Rice and Stafford counties.
“Mobile Crisis Response is strongly needed in our area,” Lockwood said. “It is appropriate for behavioral-health providers to address the needs of individuals facing a crisis rather than to expect all care to be diverted to law enforcement or hospital emergency departments.
“Nevertheless, we continue to closely collaborate with law enforcement because safety is always a primary focus for our clients and staff.”
Providing MCR is a core requirement of The Center’s licensing as a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC), which offers a holistic approach to care for the whole person. The agency became fully licensed last year.
“We now have a crisis director and one three-person crisis team,” Lockwood reported. “We are in the process of recruiting personnel for three more teams.
“Developing a 24/7, 365 days a year, in-person response program is not an easy task,” she added. “Additional staff coverage requires additional compensation. The KDADS grant allows us to develop the required positions to achieve this full-time coverage.”
Crisis-team members include therapists, case managers and peer support.
Lockwood emphasized that she is grateful to KDADS for the “funding to develop this essential service. There is a strong commitment in our state to develop a solid CCBHC model of care to serve those in need.”
Jennifer Johnson
As The Center’s new crisis director, Jennifer Johnson, echoed some of Lockwood’s comments about the vital need for a full-time MCR program.
“It is so important to meet the needs of our neighbors when they require immediate assistance with crisis mental-health services,” Johnson said. “Forming dedicated teams will help us assure than we can deliver services promptly.
“We have been very fortunate to attract compassionate, caring professionals to the crisis team. They treat each person with respect and dignity. MCR allows us to meet individuals in their environments to assure services are available when it is not easy or safe to come to us.”
Johnson noted that a person in crisis may also call or walk into The Center, requesting to speak with a crisis-team member. “The crisis team is devoted to following up with the person as needed to help them regain stability in the least restrictive environment.”
Prior to her recent promotion to crisis director, Johnson’s title was crisis team lead. She signed on with The Center in 2008 as an adult case manager, and also served as psycho-social group coordinator and therapist.
“It has been rewarding to be part of The Center’s growth over the years,” commented Johnson, who has a bachelor’s degree in psychology and master’s in community counseling. “Crisis work is my passion.”
More information
• A goal of MCR is to advance behavioral-health services across the lifespan.
• MCR, which is for all ages, is essential for the continuum of care.
• MCR involves screening/triage and ongoing stabilization.
• MCR collaborates with community partners to ensure seamless services.
• MCR wants to prevent: the unnecessary use of emergency departments: involvement of the child-welfare and juvenile-justice systems: out-of-home placements: and other disruptions.
• MCR de-escalates the situation and creates a safety plan.
The Center for Counseling & Consultation, a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic, 5815 Broadway in Great Bend, serves 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.
