A virtual crisis care pilot program funded with $1 million from The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust provides South Dakota law enforcement with 24/7 access to mental health expertise via video conferencing, addressing severe shortages in rural behavioral health services.
More than 60 percent of rural Americans live in areas with mental health professional shortages. South Dakota faces additional challenges from fluctuating agricultural economy conditions, rural drug abuse, and isolation. About one in every 10 calls to law enforcement involves someone experiencing a potential mental health crisis, according to program leaders. Despite the effectiveness of mobile crisis teams with in-person behavioral health professionals, only Minnehaha and Hughes counties operate them.
The Virtual Crisis Care pilot program partners the South Dakota Unified Judicial System, Avera eCARE, and the Helmsley Charitable Trust in collaboration with the South Dakota Sheriffs’ Association and community mental health centers. The program covers 23 counties. Law enforcement or probation officers can call the crisis response team at Avera eCARE in Sioux Falls to request a safety assessment. Officers provide the person needing help with a tablet for video consultation. Once the crisis response team completes the assessment and communicates with law enforcement, they establish follow-up care with the local community mental health center.
The program can be used for individuals who are delusional, hallucinating, or off medications, or those making suicidal or homicidal statements. It is not used for those heavily intoxicated, needing medical attention, or too violent or unwilling to participate. Individuals receive only the level of care they need, officers receive help with complex mental health issues they are not specifically trained to handle, and taxpayers benefit from fewer costly mental health holds, transports, and hospitalizations.
Last year in Minnehaha County, mobile crisis team response resulted in nine of every 10 people staying home rather than requiring higher levels of care. The pilot program runs through June 2021 with goals of establishing permanent funding and statewide expansion based on proven effectiveness and efficiencies.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://www.avera.org/news-media/news/2020/program-gives-247-access-to-mental-health-expertise/