BHSN Crisis Response - Behavioral Health Services North (BHSN) is a not-for-profit, regional leader in northeastern New York State (NYS) that offers comprehensive MH, SUD, and social services to clients of all ages. Our programs span more than 20 licensed outpatient and residential programs delivered from 15 facilities located in the largest population hubs (Plattsburgh and Glens Falls) north of NYS's Capital District, across over 6,000 square miles of predominantly rural areas abutting Canada in Clinton, Franklin, Essex, Warren and Washington Counties. Our population of focus includes all adults and children within the 5 counties who experience MH or SUD issues. Despite significant investments in services over the last several years, northeastern NYS continues to have unmet need for SMI, SED, and SUD services. There are no crisis residential providers in Clinton, Essex, Warren, or Washington Counties and only one in Franklin County with 13 beds, which is over 50 miles away from the largest population center in Plattsburgh. All counties have rural designations as mental health HPSAs. According to NYS 2021 County Health Rankings, these counties had significant existing BH needs prior to the pandemic including rates of suicide, poor mental health, needing but not receiving SU treatment, excessive drinking, substance use disorder, and alcohol use that were higher than NYS. The issues of limited provider availability and increasing need for service were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, social isolation, and anxiety as evidenced by a 734% increase in our region's hot-line calls/month from 30 before the public health emergency (PHE), to an average of 250 in the first quarter of 2021. BHSN also experienced an exponential increase in waitlists across all service programs. BHSN is also the sole 24/7 mobile crisis provider across Clinton and Essex counties and the off-hours provider of these services in Warren and Washington counties. Increased demand for services was further impacted by staffing challenges experienced during the PHE, threatening the ability to sustain existing operations and clinician caseloads reached their maximums. BHSN aims to target this round of CMHC funding toward building the BHSN Crisis Response Program, which will consist of enhancing infrastructure for crisis services by adding a mobile crisis team and a crisis residence program to the region; enhancing open access clinical staff capacity; and an expansion of telehealth technology to increase BH service access for populations with MH/SUD needs within the 5-county catchment. BHSN also sees the imperative to seed this infrastructure to be able to meet the projected 14% growth (projected by Vibrant Emotional Health) in call volume as a result of the 988 launch planned for October 2021. In year 1, BHSN plans to serve 1,500 unduplicated individuals and Year 2, 1,500, totaling 3,000 to be served. Our goals are two-fold: (1) Enhance access to MH/SUD care for children and adults; (2) Enhance capacity for crisis services.
