24/7 Emergency Services

 

Emergencies encompass everything from anxiety attacks to suicide attempts.  We respond to emergency calls by phone or face to face as needed at locations including our office, The Memorial Hospital, the Safety Center, and the schools.  Due to safety issues, we cannot respond to emergencies at private residences.  In those situations, emergent clients must be transported to one of the facilities above where they will then be assessed by our clinician.

 

In emergencies where substance use or abuse is involved, the situation is more complicated.  Generally the clinician must wait until a person is sober or the major effects of the drug has worn off before a thorough and accurate assessment can be made.  Handling substance abuse emergencies is often frustrating for the clinician, the client, and their family, since ultimately there is little we can do other than offer our services, unless the person is truly a danger to themselves.  At that point we do have some limited options for inpatient placement.

 

Sadly, the state of Colorado and Moffat County historically have very high suicide rates. Despite ongoing efforts to educate the public about suicide and the options for getting help, some people will still make that choice.  Craig Mental Health responds to approximately 400 to 500 emergency calls per year, of which at least half are related to some level of suicidal ideation, or thinking.  The good news is that asking for help works; the people we encounter on an emergency basis are placed in the appropriate level of care ranging from inpatient placement down to phone call check-ins and follow up appointments, and these people generally choose to follow through with whatever safety plan is put into place.  For more information regarding suicide awareness and prevention, check out our Links page.

 

A number of outcomes are possible in an emergent situation.  If the situation is not life threatening, we will often arrange a follow-up contact and/or encourage the person to request ongoing services either at our clinic or with a private practitioner.  In more severe cases where safety is an issue, we may explore the possibility of inpatient hospitalization. This can be done either voluntarily or involuntarily (a 27-10, or M-1 hold).  Our clinician will investigate whether an inpatient placement option is available and if so, will make the appropriate arrangements.  Involuntary holds are generally transported to the inpatient facility by law enforcement--purely as a safety precaution.  People placed on an involuntary hold are not "under arrest" and generally have done nothing wrong.  We just want to get them safely to a place where they can get the more intensive help they need.  Once at an inpatient facility, it becomes that facility's responsibility to determine the course and length of stay.  A discharge plan will be formulated cooperatively between the facility and either our clinic or a private practitioner, if that is what the client prefers.

 

We do not routinely charge for emergency contacts.  This is a service we provide to the community.  However, we also do not provide emergency coverage for the clients of private practitioners, unless prior arrangements are made.  In those cases, the client may be charged.

 

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