Listening-intervention-navigation-kindness (LINK) - provident behavioral health proposes the LINK (listening

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration awarded $228,456 to Provident Behavioral Health on September 30, 2026, under the 988 and Behavioral Health Crisis Services Programs (CFDA 93.00R) to expand evidence-informed follow-up services for individuals experiencing behavioral health crises.

The LINK (Listening. Intervention. Navigation. Kindness.) program will provide structured, long-term follow-up care to youth and adults who have experienced suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, substance use crises, mental health crises, or other elevated-risk behavioral health conditions. Provident will initiate telephonic or HIPAA-compliant telehealth follow-up within 24 hours of referral or care transition, following documented consent, and continue contact for a minimum of 90 days and up to 12 months based on clinical need. Participants will be referred by Missouri's 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, mobile crisis outreach teams, 911 public safety answering points, hospitals, behavioral health providers, and other approved partners.

The program addresses a capacity gap by expanding Provident's ability to provide follow-up services beyond current 988 contract requirements. Capacity-building activities include implementing standardized follow-up protocols, strengthening data collection and performance monitoring, formalizing referral pathways through memoranda of understanding and letters of commitment, and enhancing coordination among 988 centers, emergency response infrastructure, and behavioral health providers.

Performance occurs in St. Louis, Missouri, with additional coordination in Madison and St. Clair Counties, Illinois. The period of performance runs through September 29, 2029.

Intervention. Navigation. Kindness.) program to expand evidence-informed follow-up services for individuals experiencing behavioral health crises across missouri and two illinois counties. LINK will improve continuity of care, strengthen community partnerships, increase engagement in treatment and recovery services, and support long-term behavioral health stability. The proposed project will serve the state of missouri, with additional coordination occurring in madison and ST. Clair counties, illinois, through provident behavioral health's established regional partnerships. The project addresses a critical capacity GAP by expanding provident's ability to provide structured, long-term follow-up beyond current 988 contract requirements. The population of focus includes youth and adults who have recently experienced suicidal ideation or suicide attempts, substance use crises, mental health crises, or other behavioral health conditions that place them at elevated risk for future crisis events. Participants will be referred by missouri's 988 suicide & crisis lifeline, mobile crisis outreach teams, 911/public safety answering points, hospitals, behavioral health providers, and other approved referral partners. Capacity-building activities include implementing standardized follow-up protocols, strengthening data collection and performance monitoring, formalizing referral pathways through MOU and letters of commitment, and enhancing coordination among 988 centers, 911 public safety answering points, mobile crisis outreach teams, hospitals, and behavioral health providers. For participants, LINK will initiate follow-up within 24 hours of referral or care transition following documented consent and provide ongoing telephonic or hipaa-compliant telehealth follow-up for a minimum of 90 days and up to 12 months based on clinical need, including suicide and overdose risk assessment, safety planning, care coordination, referral navigation, family education and support, and linkage to behavioral health and substance use treatment to promote engagement, continuity of care, and long-term recovery. The project's goals are to: (1) prevent suicide, substance use escalation, and future behavioral health crises; (2) increase access to and engagement in behavioral health and recovery services; and (3) improve continuity of care and coordination across the crisis response system. Under goal 1, the project will initiate follow-up contact within 24 hours for 100% of consenting referrals (OBJ. 1.1), maintain regular contact for at least 85% of enrolled clients through 90 days and beyond as clinically indicated (OBJ. 1.2), engage 100% of opted-in families in education and support services within 30 days (OBJ. 1.3), complete a suicide risk reassessment at 100% of follow-up contacts (OBJ. 1.4), and update safety plans quarterly for at least 80% of clients with suicidal ideation (OBJ. 1.5). Under goal 2, the project will help at least 80% of clients schedule a treatment appointment within 60 days (OBJ. 2.1), refer 100% of clients with a high-risk assist/bstad score for substance use treatment within 30 days (OBJ. 2.2), and assist 100% of clients facing access barriers in connecting with community support resources within 60 days (OBJ. 2.3). Under goal 3, the project will establish at least 3 formal partnership agreements within year one (OBJ. 3.1), report program data to the state 988 director semi-annually (OBJ. 3.2), and document care coordination contact with at least one provider for 80% of consenting clients (OBJ. 3.3).