Spotlight on the CARE Center
DONNA CHRISTIANSON,
CRISIS PROGRAM DIRECTOR
VICKI RILEY,
CARE CENTER PROGRAM DIRECTOR
Background
 The initiative started as a result of La Crosse County
Clinical Services Process Improvement initiative
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Training
Screening/Filtering
Mandatory Services
Continuum of Care
 Continuum of Care subgroup identified “gaps” in our
current service system
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Crisis Center
Community Bridges
Mission Statement
 Create a crisis assessment center and detoxification
center by the end of 2009 in order to provide more
cost-effective triage and intervention for area
individuals undergoing distress due to mental health
or substance abuse concerns.
 Enhance available supports and services to help
people maintain stability in community settings
(Community Bridges)
Facility Criteria Identified:
2nd Focus Group 6/09
 Unlocked facility (home-like setting)
 8 bed capacity for adults (male and female)
 Non Ch 51 (detentions will go to the
hospital)
 Non medical detoxification
 Centrally located in La Crosse
 Well trained staff
CARE Center Timeline
 Request for Proposals reviewed (9/09)
 Tellurian, UCAN selected as the top applicant
 Awarded the contract (10/14/09)
 Site search, selection and construction
 Hiring and training staff
 Budget/contract negotiations
 Certification process and completion
 Policies and procedures
 Open House (4/10) and Grand Openning (5/18/10)
CARE Center Staff
 F.T. Program Director: Vicki Riley
 F.T. Community Liaison: Teri McDougle
 10 FTE Human Service Assistance
 P.T. Registered Nurse
 2 Peer Support Specialists
CARE Center Admission Process
for Law Enforcement
 Law Enforcement contacts Mobile Crisis to assist with
assessment when involved with mental health
situations in the field
 If there are immediate medical concerns, arrange
for transport to the hospital and then contact mobile
crisis
 However, if there are no medical issues, assessing
the crisis should occur in the community (ie.the home,
CARE Center, etc)
CARE Center Admission Process for Hospitals
 After assessment in the ER, the Crisis Responder and
Hospital Staff collaborate on the disposition. If
CARE Center is deemed appropriate, CARE staff is
contacted and they provide transportation to the
CARE Center
 CARE Center is also used as a step down from the
inpatient units. County crisis staff facilitate this also
between the hospital and CARE Center
Alcohol Detox Challenges
 The statutes are restrictive as to who can be served at
this level of care
 No other substances can be in the person’s system
other than alcohol and benzodiazapines (received the
OK for THC)
 The withdrawal score (CIWA) needs to be within a
certain limit
 If there are other medical issues or a history of
seizures they would be deemed inappropriate for
admisson
CARE Center Data
2010
May
June
July
August
Sept
# of
admissions
18
32
46
43
41
17/0
31/1
44/2
40/3
39/2
3.94
5.65
4.19
4.92
4.5
4-6
4-6
6-8
4-8
5
1-2x’s
4
6
5
5
1-3x’s
5-2x
5 – 2x
4-2x
0
1
1-3x
1
3
1-3x
2
61%
59%
65%
70%
78%
11/18
19/32
30/46
30/43
32/41
(MH/Detox)
Average LOS
Average
census
Readmission
s
Police
transport to
Center
MA Funded
Oct
Nov
Dec
Crisis Program Data
Total Crisis
Contacts
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
602
669
1363
2248
4164
3700
3705
4206
2010 JanSept. (yr
projection)
4167(5209)
587
780
836
832
796
724 (905)
686
758
722
768
610
414 (518)
101
133
126
116
108
178 (223)
CARE Ctr
open 5/18
588
568
388
583
348
385
164
178
162
185
68
167
Police
contacted
crisis
Ch 51’s
Stabilization
Bed
(disposition
in crisis
situation)
County
funded
hospital bed
days
County
charges for
State
Hospital (bed
days)
646
541
708
CARE Center: 4647 Mormon Coulee Rd
Program Director: Vicki Riley
Kitchen
Living Room Space
…More Living Room Space
Dining Room
Bedroom (2 residents per room)
…another bedroom
La Crosse Co. Satellite Office
Medication Storage Area
Shower Room (there are 2)
Open/light Spaces
Facility Comparison
Hope House
Limited staff hours
Unlicensed facility
Crisis therapist follow
up next day
No detox admissions
4 bed capacity
New Crisis Center
24 hour awake staff
CBRF licensed facility
Crisis therapist and
Nurse Practitioner
follow up
Non-medical detox
admissions
8 bed capacity
Problem Solving Strategy
 With every new process, there are bound to be
problems that arise
 There are many players involved in these crisis
situation
 Meetings have occurred twice/month, including
CARE staff, Law Enforcement, Consumers, Crisis
and Hospital staff to problem solve situations and
improve our collaboration
Consumer Satisfaction
 “It’s not very often that you find a bunch of people
that actually want to help people they don’t even
know… It’s really nice to know that there are people
out there that actually care.”
 “This environment is very healing.”
 “This facility is 100% better than what we had.”
 “The staff went above and beyond in meeting my
needs. I felt safe here and the staff is very
knowledgeable and friendly.”
CONTACT INFORMATION
Donna Christianson
La Crosse County Human Services
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608-785-6118
christianson.donna @co.la-crosse.wi.us
Vicki Riley
CARE Center
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608-519-3080
[email protected]