Project Grant H79FG001174

HELP CENTER ? CRISIS CENTER FOLLOW UP. - THE HELP CENTER FOLLOW-UP PROJECT WILL SERVE A 13-COUNTY REGION IN SOUTHWEST MONTANA INCLUDING BEAVERHEAD, BROADWATER, DEER LODGE, GALLATIN, GRANITE, JEFFERSON, MADISON, MEAGHER, PARK, POWELL, SILVER BOW, SWEETGRASS, AND WHEATLAND COUNTIES, WHICH COLLECTIVELY SPAN 28,729 SQUARE MILES. THE ALMOST ENTIRELY RURAL SERVICE REGION INCLUDES APPROXIMATELY 233,000 PEOPLE. THE SERVICE AREA POPULATION INCLUDES A HIGHER PROPORTION OF INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE VETERANS, MALES, OLDER, AND LIVING BELOW THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL THAN NATIONAL AVERAGES. THE HELP CENTER FOLLOW-UP PROJECT WILL PROVIDE FOLLOW-UP SERVICES TO AN INCREASING NUMBER OF PEOPLE ANNUALLY, WITH A GOAL OF SUPPORTING 3,500 PEOPLE IN THE THIRD YEAR OF THE PROJECT. THE HELP CENTER FOLLOW-UP PROJECT WILL ENHANCE THE FOLLOW-UP PROGRAM BY: 1. ENSURING THE SYSTEMATIC FOLLOW-UP OF SUICIDAL PERSONS WHO CONTACT THE 988 SUICIDE AND CRISIS LIFELINE. 2. PROVIDING ENHANCED COORDINATION OF MOBILE CRISIS RESPONSE, CRISIS RECEIVING, CRISIS STABILIZATION, AND CRISIS RESPITE SERVICES. 3. REDUCING UNNECESSARY LAW ENFORCEMENT ENGAGEMENT. 4. IMPROVING CONNECTIONS FOR HIGH-RISK POPULATIONS. THE HELP CENTER WILL ACHIEVE THESE GOALS AND RELATED OBJECTIVES THROUGH SEVERAL KEY STRATEGIES, INCLUDING: - DEVELOPING ADDITIONAL REFERRAL PARTNERSHIPS AND MOUS WITH CRISIS PROVIDERS INCLUDING REGIONAL EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS, CIT TRAINED LAW ENFORCEMENT, 911, MOBILE CRISIS RESPONSE SERVICES, AND SCHOOL-BASED CRISIS SERVICES TO INCREASE ACCESS TO FOLLOW-UP SERVICES. - INTEGRATING PEERS AND/OR COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS INTO THE FOLLOW-UP PROGRAM IN COMMUNITIES WITHOUT MOBILE CRISIS RESPONSE SERVICES TO PROVIDE IN-PERSON FOLLOW-UP SUPPORT FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE AT HIGH RISK FOR SUICIDE. - INTEGRATE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL NETWORK INTO FOLLOW-UP PROGRAM TO INCREASE ACCESS TO THESE SERVICES. - FURTHER DEVELOPING RELATIONSHIPS AND MOUS WITH SOCIAL HEALTH PROVIDERS ACROSS THE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH. - ENHANCE FOLLOW-UP PROTOCOLS TO INCLUDE ENHANCED REFERRAL PARTNERSHIPS, POLICIES, AND PROCESSES AS WELL AS IN-PERSON PEER/CHW FOLLOW-UP SUPPORTS. - TRAIN OTHER MONTANA 988 PROVIDERS ON REPLICABLE FOLLOW-UP PROTOCOL WITH COMMON DATA ELEMENTS TO PROMOTE STATEWIDE ALIGNMENT. - PROVIDE TRAINING ON CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE CARE, INTERSECTIONS OF SERVICE ACCESS AND CRISIS ENCOUNTERS WITH SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH, AND HIGHER RISK POPULATIONS TO PARTNERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS. THE HELP CENTER FOLLOW UP PROJECT WILL ENHANCE THE CURRENT FOLLOW-UP PROGRAM, INCREASING ACCESS AND USE THROUGH ENHANCED PARTNERSHIPS ACROSS THE CRISIS AND BROADER BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CONTINUUM AS WELL AS IN-PERSON FOLLOW-UP OPTIONS FOR HIGH-RISK INDIVIDUALS. THESE EFFORTS WILL SUPPORT MORE PEOPLE IN RECOVERY AND LONG-TERM STABILITY, SUPPORTING IMPROVED HEALTH AND SAFETY FOR INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITIES.