Mental health team in N.C. goes to clients

mobile team of mental health professionals is now available to assist clients in northeastern North Carolina. The team fills a void left when the state recently removed the Albemarle Mental Health Center.

Designed to be flexible and nimble, the crisis management teams respond to callers 24 hours a day. Their goal is to respond to patients within two hours. Health officials can visit clients in their homes or at public places like schools, and the service is free.

"What we're trying to do is reduce hospitalization," said Roy Wilson, director of East Carolina Behavioral Health. "They're clinical staff who are available on call to go wherever they are needed."

On July 1, East Carolina took over management of mental health care from Albemarle, which had served about 3,000 clients in Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Dare, Hyde, Martin, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Tyrrell and Washington counties.

Establishment of the mobile crisis team service fulfills a promise East Carolina made when it announced in June that it was taking over for Albemarle, which according to the state had failed to meet its own budget, pay its private providers, and provide adequate services to the community.

East Carolina directs clients to the proper private provider. Albemarle provided direct services to clients, in addition to contracting with private providers.

Wilson said that Ahoskie-based Integrated Family Services, the mobile crisis teams contractor, has worked successfully with East Carolina in its nine-county service area from Pitt and Beaufort, south to Jones and Pamlico. The mobile teams, he said, have contributed to a 66 percent reduction in admittances to Cherry Point Hospital's psychiatric unit, he said.

"I would certainly hope to see the same kind of response," he said about the Albemarle area, which they began covering on July 8. "It'll take some time to pan out." Natasha C. Holley, co-owner and clinical director of Integrated Family Services, said five teams are available to serve clients within 16 counties.

Team members include a licensed clinical social worker, a substance abuse professional, and a developmental disabilities professional, as well as other trained mental health professionals, Holley said. A board-certified psychiatrist will at all times be available to the team for telephone consultation.

Holley said calls are screened to determine whether it is a crisis. If it is, a team member will meet the client at an agreed upon location. The person is then evaluated face-to-face, she said, and linked up with the appropriate service that may include hospitalization, detox, outpatient therapy or psychiatric care.

The idea is to prevent unnecessary hospitalizations and incarcerations while treating clients in their community, she said.

"It works," Holley said, adding that there were recently three calls in Dare County in one week. "The word just needs to get out."

Allen Burrus, vice chairman of the Dare County Board of Commissioners, said he is pleased with the progress East Carolina has made in serving the community.

"I think generally, there's been burrs here and there, but they're working hard to work them out," he said. "I see an honest effort."

Catherine Kozak, (252) 441-1711, cate.kozak@pilotonline.com