Family Emergency Treatment Center

24-hour Access to Mental Health & Substance Abuse Help

Thomas C. Wedekind, ACSW, CBRE and Debbie Piechocki

Personal Enrichment through Mental Health Services, Inc. (PEMHS)

11254 58" St North

Pinellas Park, FL 33782

(727) 545-6477

Objectives:

1) present a model for an urgent care center for behavioral health; 2) how to involve community stakeholders to support model; and 3) statistics related to client usage, emphasis on depression and dual diagnosis.

The development of this model is the; formalization of an urgent care behavioral health model. Staffing, hours of operation (24), medication distribution etc. will be presented. This model is an advocacy effort obtained through the support of many community stakeholders to develop a special appropriation through the Florida Legislature, Already the clinic is handling 300 behavioral health clients a month Including assessments, numerous groups, outreach, and immediate medication management.
Background

In the mid and late 1980's when heaitbcare costs were increasing each year, the physical healthcare industry instituted many cost saving, managed care treatment soitutions including emergency walk-an clinics. These clinics kept patients out of expensive emergency rooms while offering patients convenience in location and hours of operation. By offering less costly evaluation, diagnosis and treatment, patients received immediate care and placement into the most effective and least expensive setting,

Unfortunately, there is nothing comparable for alcohol, drug abuse or mental health disorders. The only immediate access to Florida's community-based behavioral health system is at our most expensive facilities-emergency rooms, jails, crisis stabilization units and detoxification units. For lessor problems access is by appointment only, and a patient may not receive an assessment at an outpatient center for several days, up to several weeks, depending on waiting lists and capacity. Therefore, patients are either placed into more expensive treatments than needed or do not get treatment until their condition deteriorates and becomes much more critical. Because of the natureof behavioral health disorders, patients can become a danger to the community while waiting for access and can end up in the criminal justice system or in hospital emergency rooms.

Solution

PEMHS, Inc. is proposing an emergency walk-ire clinic for behavioral health based on a model in Manatee County. This innovative program located In St. .Petersburg, Florida, will be open 24 hours per day/seven days a week, with immediate treatment available. This timely intervention and assessment will facilitate the proper level of care early so that more costly care can be prevented. The project will be staffed with professionals including medical doctor's, licensed mental health counselors, registered nurses, practical nurses, certified addiction professionals, all available to deliver immediate service.

The Type of Services to be provided .io children & adults in our community afflicted with mental health and/or substance abuse needs will include, but not be limited',:to:

• Assessment of Needs/immediate Screening

• Emergency Counseling

• Medication Needs

• Referrals to Appropriate Care (community collaboration)

• Acute Intervention-Crisis Specialist

• Families in Crisis `

• Basic Behavioral Health Screening

Benefits

• Reduction in Duplication of Services

• Saves ,Resources for Referral Front End Assessment

• Increased Convenience and Accessibility

• Decrease Administrative Overhead

• Help Support Independent Living for Chronically Mentally III

• Enhances Seamless Level of dare

• Treatment on Demand