Crisis Triage Services - Senate Bill 82

Senate Bill 82, the Investment in Mental Health Wellness Act of 2013, provides grant funds to improve access to and capacity for mental health crisis services. This grant program provides funds to California counties to increase capacity for client assistance and services in crisis intervention, stabilization, treatment, rehabilitative mental health services and mobile crisis support teams. Services are designed to increase access to effective outpatient and crisis services, provide an opportunity to reduce costs associated with expensive inpatient and emergency room care, reduce incarceration, and better meet the needs of individuals experiencing a mental health crisis in the least restrictive manner possible.

Mental Health Triage Personnel Program objectives can include:

  • Expand crisis treatment services by adding Crisis Residential Treatment beds,
  • Crisis Stabilization services, Mobile Crisis Support Teams, Triage Personnel; Improving the client experience, achieving recovery and wellness, and reducing costs;
  • Reducing unnecessary hospitalizations and inpatient days; Reducing recidivism and mitigating unnecessary expenditures of law enforcement;
  • Expand the continuum of services with early intervention and treatment options that are wellness, resiliency, recovery oriented in the least restrictive environment.

2014 Butte County Triage Grant

This Crisis Triage Connect program met the need for an increased crisis triage staff at specific access points to help consumers avoid higher levels of care in the least restrictive environment available. The grant was awarded in 2013 for $1,075,070 to be distributed over 3 years. At the conclusion of the grant, and after evaluating the successful outcomes of the program and receiving community input, selective programming was continued with Mental Health Services Act funding.

Triage Personnel Grant Program Evaluation (PDF)

Currently, the Crisis Triage Connect Team facilitates consumer movement through the crisis continuum; including coordinating hospitalization placement as needed, discharge planning, monitoring, and follow-up case management. The transport team drives clients to and from psychiatric hospitals, takes them for medical clearances to access in-patient services, and takes them home or back into the community. The Connect Team communicates with psychiatric hospitals to setup follow-up services for every client upon discharge from a psychiatric hospital. The Connect Team also provides 60 days of case management services to facilitate the warm hand-off between inpatient and outpatient services.

Crisis/Access line: 530-891-2810

2018 Butte County Triage Grant

The 2018 Triage Grant provided the opportunity to expand on a pilot Mobile Crisis Team (MCT). This initial team, which is a collaboration with the Chico Police Department, was created after evaluating the responses born from MHSA Community Planning Process. The grant award of $514,743 over 3 years allowed for a South County Mobile Crisis team to be established with the Butte County Sheriff's Office, whose coverage includes all of the unincorporated areas of the county.

The South County MCT provides rapid response to crisis situations in the community utilizing mental health professionals in partnership with law enforcement. MCT counselors provide in-the-moment assessment of the community member's level of need and coordinate placement as necessary. The MCT peer specialists are individuals with lived experience with mental illness, who are able to provide support to the community member in a unique way. Peers offer emotional support, share knowledge, teach skills, provide practical assistance, and connect people with resources. By MCT staff coordinating directly with Crisis Services, real-time decisions regarding resources and placement can be made allowing for smooth transitions into onsite Crisis Services. The team will then transport the consumer as needed. For the next 30 days, the consumer will be on the caseload of the MCT staff, allowing for follow-up, problem-solving, and encouragement of engagement in outpatient mental health services.

Crisis/Access line: 530-891-2810