Temporary Revisions to Mobile Crisis Service Delivery
To: Community Partners in Cowlitz and Grays Harbor Counties
From: Columbia Wellness – Drew McDaniel, Director of Behavioral Healthcare Services
Re: Temporary Revisions to Mobile Crisis Service Delivery
Date: March 20, 2020
Columbia Wellness would like to acknowledge the current reality of the world in which we all live. Each day brings new information and new instructions from medical and governmental leaders designed to reduce the spread of the Coronavirus / Covid-19 virus. Health care providers across the world are struggling to maintain staff and services to respond to the increasing number of citizens who need care and support. Washington State is no different. Identification of methods to ensure service delivery, while supporting the safety of those providing these necessary services, is a shared responsibility between Federal, State and local entities.
It is within this structure that Columbia Wellness would like to identify recently released waiver information from the Washington State Department of Health and the Great Rivers BH-ASO. In response to state and federal instructions to help reduce the spread of this virus, Washington State has placed a temporary waiver on the statutory obligation, “…for licensed Behavioral Health Agencies to provide certain assessments and services in person or face-to-face”. These would include services provided by the Mobile Crisis Teams in both Cowlitz and Grays Harbor counties under WAC 246-341-0910 and WAC 246-341-0915. Staff of these teams have therefore been provided with the following directions:
1. Crisis clinicians will triage all requests for services
2. Crisis Intervention services will now be primarily provided by telephone.
3. Nursing Homes and Adult Care Facilities
A. As this population has been identified as the highest risk group, services will primarily be provided by telephone.
B. Crisis Intervention services may be delivered in person if necessary, with window barriers in place and as the availability of necessary Personal Protective Equipment allows.
4. Jail and Juvenile Detention Services
A. Services will primarily be provided by telephone.
B. Face-to-face services may be delivered if necessary, with window barriers (attorney consult area).
C. We recommend that jail staff utilize in-house Offender Service resources to assess and remove individuals on an active suicide watch schedule. Mobile Crisis Services are available for consultation by telephone with Offender Services staff.
5. Community Responses
A. Services will primarily be provided by telephone.
B. Crisis Intervention services may be delivered in person if necessary, as the availability of Personal Protective Equipment allows.
C. If no Personal Protective Equipment is available, individuals will be encouraged to receive face-to-face services at the Mobile Crisis Services office location.
6. Less Restrictive Alternative (LRA) Care Coordination Services
A. Monthly personal contact services will primarily be provided by telephone.
B. Respondents who are suspected to be in violation of their court order who refuse to receive LRA Care Coordination services via telephone may need to be evaluated for Purpose of Revocation. In such instances, Mobile Crisis staff will contact the Designated Crisis Responder (DCR) office and transfer responsibility to the DCR for further decision making.
7. Designated Crisis Responders
A. If a Designated Crisis Responder is currently in the field and requests Mobile Crisis staff to join them in service delivery, that request will be triaged. Services will primarily be provided by telephone. Crisis Intervention services may be delivered in person if necessary, as the availability of Personal Protective Equipment allows.
B. Requests for DCR services will be directed to the DCR office. The responsibility of determining whether a request for DCR services is appropriate or necessary will rest with the DCR office.
8. Requests from Law Enforcement
A. Services will primarily be provided by telephone.
B. Crisis Intervention services may be delivered in person if necessary, as the availability of Personal Protective Equipment allows. Otherwise, law enforcement will be encouraged to bring the individual in need to the appropriate Mobile Crisis Services office location.
9. Requests from the Hospital
A. Services will primarily be provided by telephone.
We appreciate the opportunity to continue providing services as a part of the larger team of community professionals. We hope this pandemic will soon be contained and agencies are able to return to a “normal” model of service delivery. Please feel free to contact us if you have any additional questions.
Drew McDaniel, LICSW, MSW, MHP, CMHS