DEPARTMENT: Social Services
FILE TYPE: Regular Information
TITLE
title
Update On Mental Health Crisis Services Continuum Expansion
end
PURPOSE/ACTION REQUESTED
Receive an update on expansion of Dakota County’s mental health crisis services continuum.
SUMMARY
Communities across Minnesota are facing urgent and unprecedented mental health challenges. Dakota County has responded by expanding the County’s continuum using national best practice guidelines.
By Resolution. No. 21-461 (September 21, 2021), the Dakota County Board of Commissioners authorized adding 1.0 full-time equivalent (FTE) supervisor and 9.0 FTE social workers to the Social Services budget to expand Dakota County’s existing 24/7 mobile crisis response unit (CRU). By Resolution No. 22-395 (September 20, 2022), the Dakota County Board of Commissioners ratified an application to the Minnesota Department of Human Services requesting funds to continue the expansion of mobile crisis services. With additional staff capacity, CRU is available to answer additional calls, including transfers from Dakota 911, and provide on-site response and assessment more quickly, frequently and effectively. Increased staff capacity also enables co-location of CRU staff at police departments for purposes of timely co-response and relationship building. Initial phone or mobile response is critical to ensuring people have access to the right service at the right time during a time of crisis, at the first call for help.
An equally important part of the continuum is follow-up and stabilization after a crisis. This is especially important when a person has an acute crisis involving law enforcement response. Crisis follow-up may include referral to intensive crisis stabilization service for education, skill-building, and connection to longer-term services. By Resolution No. 21-618 (December 14, 2021), the Dakota County Board of Commissioners approved using American Rescue Plan Coronavirus Fiscal Recovery Funds to add 5.0 new FTE to expand the embedded social worker crisis follow-up model to all cities in Dakota County who responded to a Letter of Interest process.
By Resolution No. 22-095 (March 8, 2022), the Dakota County Board of Commissioners authorized moving forward with construction of the Crisis and Recovery Center, a collaboration between Dakota County and a community-based mental health services provider, Guild. The Crisis and Recovery Center project will offer a welcoming place for mental health support, assessment, and short-term residential treatment. Construction is underway and on track for opening in early 2025.
Staff will provide an update on crisis continuum expansion activities, summarize data, review community trends, discuss current challenges and opportunities, share information about future funding opportunities, and outline 2024 plans.
OUTCOMES
2023 Data Indicators
Someone to Talk To/Phone Response:
• More than 20,000 incoming calls to CRU.
• 13,174 intakes/service requests (intakes can include multiple calls), 40 percent increase in intakes from 2021.
• 992 transfers of certain mental health calls from Dakota 911 to the CRU. More than 80 percent of 911 call transfers were handled without need for law enforcement response.
Mobile Response:
• 850 in-person site visits from the CRU, 142 percent increase from 2021.
• In-person response at the time of crisis from professionals trained and skilled in assessing needs and connecting to resources.
• Co-location of CRU social workers in 9 of 12 public safety agencies to build relationships and achieve 15-30-minute response time.
Embedded Social Worker, Crisis Outreach, Follow-up and Stabilization:
• 10 of 10 participating public safety agencies have embedded social worker assignments.
• More than 2,256 outreaches that led to engagement and/or service coordination, 639 face to face outreaches or assessments.
• More than 260 cases opened for intensive crisis stabilization services, 30 percent of referrals from people interested in services or from family members.
• Adults, children, and families have better access to services to learn about symptoms, build skills, connect to long-term support, and build a long-term recovery plan.
• City and County working in partnership to improve public service response in support of shared goals for healthy, safe communities for all.
Crisis and Recovery Center:
• Construction work started in fall 2023 and is progressing on schedule.
• Service coordination with Guild is ongoing. Planning services for County-operated “Place to Go” is in process.
RECOMMENDATION
recommendation
Information only; no action requested.
end
EXPLANATION OF FISCAL/FTE IMPACTS
None.
☐ None ☒ Current budget ☐ Other
☐ Amendment Requested ☐ New FTE(s) requested
RESOLUTION
body
Information only; no action requested.
end
PREVIOUS BOARD ACTION
21-461; 9/21/21
21-618; 12/14/21
22-395; 9/20/22
22-095; 03/08/22
ATTACHMENTS
Attachments: None.
BOARD GOALS
☐ A Great Place to Live ☐ A Healthy Environment
☐ A Successful Place for Business and Jobs ☒ Excellence in Public Service
CONTACTS
Department Head: Emily Schug
Author: Emily Schug