Reprinted from the Health District's quarterly publication mailed to district residents (Spring 2005)

A new community resource is providing ‘round-the-clock assistance to people experiencing a mental health or substance abuse crisis.

Last month, Poudre Valley Hospital opened the Crisis Assessment Center in its emergency department, consolidating in one location all of the resources required to provide rapid evaluation, treatment and referral services to people in crisis.

Previously there were two places where crisis assessment and treatment were offered for people needing immediate psychiatric or substance abuse care: Mountain Crest Behavioral Healthcare Center and the PVH emergency department. This sometimes made it difficult for physicians, law enforcement officials, counselors and the public to know where to take or refer patients.

At the new center, medical staff and mental health professionals will work together as a team to provide comprehensive emergency care in an efficient and effective manner. This includes assessment, hospitalization, if needed, and timely referral to other appropriate community resources such as counseling or chemical dependency programs.

The plan for the crisis assessment center emerged from ongoing efforts by the Community Mental Health and Substance Abuse Partnership to improve access to local services for people with mental illness and substance abuse issues. An estimated 36,000 people in Larimer County are affected by mental illness or substance abuse.

Organized by the Health District, the partnership includes more than 30 local public and private agencies, including PVH. Previously, the partnership helped establish Connections, a joint project of the Health District and the Larimer Center for Mental Health that provides information, assistance and referrals on mental health and substance abuse to people who are not in immediate crisis.

In addition to spearheading plans for the Crisis Assessment Center, the partnership also coordinated several other community-wide changes crucial to the success of the new center. These include agreements by other agencies to accept prompt referrals from the center; arrangements for transporting patients to detox services; and development of a standardized system for police and care providers to identify the severity of a crisis and take appropriate action.