Cascade Community Healthcare and Columbia Wellness have officially received endorsement letters from the Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA) for its Mobile Rapid Response Crisis Teams.
These endorsements place the region with two of only eight teams statewide, according to a news release from the Great Rivers Behavioral Health Administrative Services Organization.
This initiative will directly benefit the Great Rivers region, which includes the counties of Cowlitz, Grays Harbor, Lewis and Wahkiakum. These communities will now have access to faster behavioral health crisis care, the release stated.
Mobile Rapid Response Crisis Teams are trained in best practices, including trauma-informed care, harm reduction and crisis planning. Youth-focused teams offer developmentally appropriate support and can provide stabilization services for up to 14 days.
Mobile teams respond 24/7 to individuals experiencing behavioral health crises in homes, schools, workplaces and public spaces, according to the release. Each team includes at least two trained professionals, often a clinician and a certified peer counselor, working to deescalate crises and connect individuals to care.
These teams aim to minimize the use of emergency departments and law enforcement for non-emergency behavioral health situations, offering community-based alternatives.
