Several members of the mobile crisis response (MCR) team at The Center for Counseling & Consultation recently attended a meeting that attracted many of their peers to Great Bend from throughout Kansas.
Laura Patzner, crisis case manager, said it was gratifying to learn from these other professionals that the local team is off to a good start.
“While we provide this service on a limited basis so far, we hope it will be available 24/7 within a year or less,” Patzner said. “The service has been up and running for a while now but we need to add to our staff.
“We are actively recruiting therapists who can be part of this mobile team,” she continued. “This is so important because sometimes those who are struggling with behavioral-health concerns cannot come to us because of a lack of transportation or other issues.”
Patzner emphasized that The Center, 5815 Broadway, collaborates with many local and area entities on this and other services.
“One thing is always clear: mobile crisis response is a collaborative process,” she commented. “We are so fortunate to have many valuable community partners in our four-county service area.”
These partners include law-enforcement officers, Juvenile Services and many medical facilities.
“We need a buy-in from all these entities and we have it,” Patzner said. “We couldn’t ask for better support.”
Patzner was one of six staff members at The Center to attend the May 14 meeting, which was organized by the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS). Participants included crisis-team therapists and case managers, along with a representative of The Center’s Substance Use Disorder department.
“The main purpose was to bring crisis teams together to provide an overall view of MCR across Kansas,” Patzner noted. “We learned from long-established programs in rural and urban areas.
“They have worked the kinks out and we can learn from their experiences. It was great to see that mobile crisis response is one thing everyone can get behind. Everybody is willing to support this process because they all realize its importance.”
Background/numbers
When the formation of the local MCR team was announced last fall, Tracie Haselhorst, The Center’s clinical director, noted that “the crises people face entail concerns that are new or escalating. There could also be the threat of suicide.
“They might have been able to cope yesterday but need help today. The main goal is to prevent a trip to the emergency room and/or jail.”
The recent day-long meeting was held at the Great Bend Events Center where topics included: the “why” of MCR and its importance; a primer on crisis continuum of care in Kansas; and roll-out and delivery of MCR. Panel discussions also were on the agenda.
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.
