Mind Springs will Stay County’s Mental Health Crisis Response Service
BY McKENNA HERFORD, SKY-HI NEWS
Through a partnership with the county’s new state mental health contractor, Rocky Mountain Health Plans, mental health providers at Mind Springs Health will continue providing mobile crisis services in Grand County for the next five years.
Mobile crisis services are available when a person is experiencing a mental health crisis and are an integral part of mental health care.
“We really wanted to continue to serve the community,” said Chriss Flynn, vice president of marketing for Mind Springs Health. “There’s clearly a need for mobile crisis services, for all mental health services, and we’re pleased to be able to live our mission out and provide the full continuum of services.”
Mind Springs has also contracted with Rocky Mountain Health Plans to maintain its mobile crisis services in all of the other counties it serves, except Eagle and Summit counties.
“We will be providing a robust crisis network throughout the Western Slope, as we have been doing,” Flynn said.
A statement from Rocky Mountain Health Plans echoed the sentiment.
“Rocky Mountain Health Plans is dedicated to delivering a comprehensive crisis system that helps individuals experiencing a behavioral health crisis get the care they need, when they need it,” the statement said. “We collaborate with crisis service partners and local agencies throughout the Western Slope to meet the needs of the communities we serve and ensure delivery of critical behavioral health services.”
Earlier this year the state decided to end its mobile crisis services contract with Mind Springs Health, causing a period of uncertainty for Grand County while local providers worked to ensure a safe transition. At that time in June, Rocky Mountain Health Plans took over.
However, Rocky Mountain Health Plans does not have a local office or infrastructure, leading to concerns about how the transition would work.
After discussions between Rocky Mountain Health Plans, Mind Springs Health and county health providers who lobbied to keep mobile crisis services in local control, a long-term contract came together in August.
“We have a relationship with the community and a history with the community and that’s something we can build upon,” Flynn said. “To be able to continue the services rather than someone coming in without understanding the community and have those relationships, we feel we’re working from a position of strength.”
With the contract secured for the next five years, Flynn said mobile crisis services will continue as they have in Grand County with one exception. For continuity and ease the state is consolidating crisis hotline numbers and all entities will utilize the Colorado Crisis Services Hotline number.
Typically, mobile crisis services are contacted directly by the person in distress or someone with them or by law enforcement or health providers. Once the hotline has been called, an on-call clinician is sent to the person in crisis and they determine the best next steps.
Mind Springs also offers mental health services at its location in Granby, including walk-in hours once a week.
“We are completely committed to providing the full continuum of services to the community,” Flynn said. “This plays into our mission and it makes us happy and proud to continue to do it this way.”