Project Grant H79SM087261

WESTERN LANE MOBILE CRISIS RESPONSE (MCR) - PROJECT ABSTRACT SUMMARY PROJECT NAME: WESTERN LANE MOBILE CRISIS RESPONSE (MCR) WESTERN LANE FIRE AND EMS AUTHORITY'S MOBILE CRISIS RESPONSE PROGRAM (MCR) IS THE FIRST RURAL 24/7/365 MOBILE MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS RESPONSE PROGRAM IN LANE COUNTY, SERVING 19,128 RESIDENTS IN RURAL AND REMOTE AREAS. THE PROPOSED SAMHSA GRANT PROJECT WILL INCREASE MCR'S CAPACITY BY ESTABLISHING RURAL BEST PRACTICES STAFFING, IMPROVING LAW ENFORCEMENT DIVERSION THROUGH JOINTLY DEVELOPED PROTOCOLS FOR RESPONSE WITHOUT LAW ENFORCEMENT AND BY MCR PROVIDING SAFE, VOLUNTARY TRANSPORT, AND IMPROVING PROTOCOLS AND OUTREACH TO ADDRESS SUICIDE MORTALITY RATES THAT ARE NEARLY THREE TIMES HIGHER THAN COUNTY AVERAGE. MCR SERVES A 980-SQUARE MILE REMOTE AREA BOUND ON THE EAST BY COASTAL MOUNTAIN RANGE AND THE WEST BY THE PACIFIC OCEAN. CENSUS DATA SHOWS THE PROJECT POPULATION CATCHMENT AREA OF 19,128 RESIDENTS HAS A DISPROPORTIONATELY HIGH PERCENTAGE OF OLDER ADULTS, VETERANS, AND CHILDREN < 18 LIVING IN POVERTY. COMMUNITIES IN WESTERN LANE ARE HIGH NEED AS INDICATED BY KNOWN FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH RURAL HEALTH DISPARITIES AND ITS IMPACT ON MENTAL HEALTH, INCLUDING REMOTENESS, ISOLATION, POVERTY, SOCIAL SUPPORT AND STIGMA. SUICIDE DEATH RATES IN MCR SERVICE AREA ARE NEARLY THREE TIMES HIGHER THAN COUNTY AVERAGE WHICH IS HIGHER THAN STATE AVERAGE. ENHANCED INFRASTRUCTURE IS NEEDED TO ADDRESS GAPS. PROJECT GOALS ARE TO IMPLEMENT A NEW STAFFING MODEL BASED ON SAMHSA BEST PRACTICES FOR RURAL MOBILE CRISIS PROGRAMS WHEREBY STAFF ARE MULTI-ROLE PROVIDING CRISIS RESPONSE TO 19,128 RURAL SERVICE AREA RESIDENTS, CONDUCTING COMMUNITY OUTREACH TO FREQUENT USERS, PROVIDING VOLUNTARY TRANSPORT, AND COLLABORATING WITH OUT OF AREA RESOURCES AND SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS TO BE THE RURAL FACE OF SUICIDE PREVENTION OUTREACH TO HIGH NEED AUDIENCES IN THE SERVICE AREA -VETERANS, CHILDREN, AND OLDER ADULTS. MEASURABLE OBJECTIVES INCLUDE ACHIEVING ADEQUATE STAFFING LEVELS WITHIN YEAR ONE AND SUSTAINING AT 80% THROUGH THE END OF PROJECT PERIOD; CREATING JOINT PROTOCOLS WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT AND FIRST RESPONDER AGENCIES FOR RESPONSE WITHOUT LAW ENFORCEMENT ACCOMPANIMENT WITH YEAR ONE, REDUCING LAW ENFORCEMENT ACCOMPANIMENT BY 50% WITHIN YEAR ONE AND 60% WITHIN CITY LIMITS BY YEAR 3; ON-BOARDING EIGHT FREQUENT USERS INTO THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAM IN YEAR ONE, SERVING APPROXIMATELY 12 DISCRETE FREQUENT USERS PER YEAR RESULTING IN OVER 44 INDIVIDUALS OVER THE 4 YEAR PROJECT PERIOD; ACHIEVING 50% REDUCE IN 911 CALLS AND 25% REDUCTION IN LAW ENFORCEMENT USE IN YEAR 1. SUICIDE OUTREACH MEASURABLE OBJECTIVES ARE TO CONDUCT 12 OUTREACH ACTIVITIES TO EACH TARGETED AUDIENCE PER MONTH, REACHING A 30%, 75%, 85% OF SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN IN YEARS 1,2,3 RESPECTIVELY; 25%, 50%, 75% OF AREA VETERANS IN YEARS 1,2,3 RESPECTIVELY; AND, REACHING 75%, 90%, 90% OF OLDER ADULTS' LIAISONS IN YEARS 2,3,4 RESPECTIVELY.