Columbia River Mental Health Services Provides Take-Out Homeless Health Care

Columbia River Mental Health Services has launched its mHealth team, a program that works to remove barriers to accessing mental health services, drug and alcohol testing, and basic medical care for people. homeless people.

From 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, the team travels through Clark County to meet those in need where they are.

By providing medical care and connecting people with resources, team members hope to build trust with the homeless community and, ultimately, connect people with resources that, otherwise, would not seek them.

“Transportation is a huge barrier for some of these people. The safety and security of their property is a huge barrier, ”said Mike Delay, director of mental health services for Columbia River, who helped design and launch the program.

“If we can do something small, like just get in the van and get out and reduce that barrier and help them access the services they need to stabilize themselves and work more effectively on the other barriers that keep them from getting. accommodation, ”he said. , “We are not only helping the community, but we are helping our own systems to be more effective in serving those who need it most.”

The team consists of five members: a peer with lived experience to help establish relationships with those encountered by the team, a mental health therapist, a substance use disorder professional, a nurse and a part-time provider who provides physical health care.

The program is designed to work in conjunction with other resources and programs already available in the region, Delay explained.

“There is a very strong system of outreach and homelessness services here in Clark County, and they have all been very welcoming to this new addition,” Delay said. “Rather than duplicating what’s already there, what we’re trying to do is add an extra layer of service delivery that can complement what’s already on the ground.

Eventually, Columbia River Mental Health Services hopes to expand the program to seven days a week in Clark, Cowlitz and Skamania counties. A mobile crisis team should also be launched in early 2022.

According to Delay, interest in this method of service delivery has grown nationwide.

“As long as I’m doing this work in this community, it’s something that’s been identified as a need,” Delay said. “And I don’t think it’s unique to this region. It’s something that I think we see across the country. But we are only now beginning to understand how to implement it and how to finance it, then ways to make it sustainable. “

Through the work of Columbia River Clinical Director Anne Willis, various community donors have provided financial support for the program, making it possible to launch, Delay said. These donors were essential, because funding a program like this is not always easy.

“Our administration has done a lot of work behind the scenes to find ways to fund a team like this because it’s not a traditional billable service model,” Delay said. “A lot of times we are limited in the area of ​​community behavioral health by what we can actually receive funding for or by the funds available for behavioral health services. It is not always easy to get that funding because there are a lot of programs that need support and are doing a very good job.

A day at work

Every day is different, according to Lauryn Sanders, mental health therapist, member of the mHealth team.

Sometimes there is a plan and the team will travel to a known camp to help people they have worked with before. Other times, team members go to new camps to introduce themselves.

“We just made ourselves known,” Sanders said. “We introduce ourselves and explain what our services are and we just connect with people that way. There is no pressure to talk to us. We are ready to talk to anyone whether or not they are interested in the services.

So far, the process has been successful, Sanders said.

“For the most part, we’re able to connect people to services and give them some hope and step in the door somewhere,” she said.

One morning, the team met someone at a camp who was interested in STD assessment and drug treatment.

“When a customer is ready, he’s ready,” Sanders said. “And for substance use assessments, it can sometimes take weeks to plan, and sometimes people lose that motivation to engage in treatment.”

The team was able to work directly and quickly with this client. Team members were able to provide an assessment and they put the client in touch with other services that day.

“It was really motivating,” Sanders said. Additionally, once other people living in the same camp saw that the team was able to help, trust was established and more connections were made.

“Once a person starts moving, you see the rest of the community following along and being more tolerant and open to talking to us,” Sanders said.

Peer specialist and mHealth team member Reinhardt Ryan agreed. He said meeting people where they are builds trust and helps build relationships that can lead to treatment down the line.

“When you’re out there in their own world, and you’re talking to them, and you’re right in their zone, they’ll go ahead and be a lot more open with us,” he said.