Speaker(s)
The Emergency Room Enhancement program was initiated by DMH to develop models of effective interventions for people with behavioral health crisis, focusing on individuals who are frequent users of hospital services. The program creates paths to the Community Mental Health Centers and Substance Use Providers for needed care, rather than to the Emergency Departments where they are stabilized and released, often to return again. The DMH recognized the differing needs in each region, allowing the Administrative Agents to build a collaborative that would best meet the needs of their communities. The challenges and strategies specific to building collaboratives in rural vs. urban areas, as well as creative outreach to vulnerable clients, will be presented by providers from the CMHCs.