Summary of Specifications:
The proposed Mobile Team will respond to children/adolescents (ages 4 to 20) experiencing a mental health related crisis in the community and stabilize them with methods that minimize intrusion and divert them from unnecessary hospital care. An "in & out" service on the day of the crisis, the team will follow up the next day to link the child/youth to community-based treatment services (duration of contact spans 24 to 48 hours). The team will determine if the child/youth requires further evaluation for a higher level of care or a written safety plan to remain in the community free from harm. The team will establish ties to the community, including agreements with local hospital ERs and community support services, and develop effective working relationships with local law enforcement and emergency responders. Saratoga, Warren and Washington Local Governmental Units will work with the selected provider to develop a system to manage and track individuals discharged from inpatient services. The Mobile Team will provide: consultation and information; crisis assessment; intervention and stabilization; facilitation of alternate levels of care, when appropriate; and after-crisis telephone support to assist the family in obtaining knowledge, skills and resources to prevent/deal with future crisis episodes. The mobile team will be skilled in performing age appropriate assessments of mental status, delivering effective crisis intervention, and will have ready access to resources like urgent appointments, brief crisis out-of-home respite, and linkages to ongoing community support services.
