Let’s say your loved one is in crisis. They’re so overwhelmed with something going on in their life and it’s beyond their capacity to cope on their own. Maybe they lost their job or their home and they’re having suicidal thoughts. You’re concerned about their safety and well-being, and you can tell they need professional support. You call 911 because you know they need help fast. What happens next? 

In most cities across the nation, jails and emergency departments routinely serve as de facto mental health providers for people in a behavioral health crisis, particularly those who are unhoused. People experiencing mental illness are 10 times more likely to be in a jail or prison than in a state mental health hospital.

However, in the City and County of Denver, the Support Team Assisted Response (STAR) team often responds to 911 calls concerning a behavioral health issue, which means your loved one is met with not only a paramedic, but a behavioral health professional as well. The team de-escalates the situation by calming your loved one down and then brings them to the Behavioral Health Solutions Center, a partnership between WellPower and the City of Denver. 

WellPower’s Behavioral Health Solutions Center opened its doors in May of 2021, becoming among the first centers in the nation developed specifically to offer first responders a safe 24/7 drop-off location for people in a behavioral health crisis. The Solutions Center offers voluntary behavioral health treatment, stabilization, temporary shelter and ongoing assistance for mental health and substance use issues, as well as assistance in transitioning to community living.

The First 24 Hours at the Behavioral Health Solutions Center

Your loved one voluntarily checks in. They keep their phone with them so they can send you updates. They receive comprehensive mental and physical health assessments. A peer support specialist (a mental health professional who has experienced their own mental health challenges) meets with them to talk about what’s going on. They have access to snacks and liquids and can take some time to rest.

“Crisis is temporary and we look at what we can do to work on this together,” said Lindsey Breslin, LCSW, program manager at the Behavioral Health Solutions Center. “This program was created three years ago as a partnership with the City of Denver to divert people from the emergency department and jail and instead get the treatment they need.” 

Every person and every situation is unique, so many things can happen next. Your loved one might need to go to a detox center, or maybe they’re connected with a shelter if they are unhoused. If they have severe and persistent mental illness, they might need their medications adjusted. Or, maybe they get enrolled in outpatient mental health services with WellPower for the first time. And, if they are stable and want to leave, they are welcome to.

In this example, your loved one isn’t quite ready to get back to the community. So, they get referred to the Behavioral Health Solutions Center’s Crisis Stabilization Clinic where they will receive additional services such as group therapy sessions and medication evaluations.

Admission to the Crisis Stabilization Clinic

Everything offered by the Crisis Stabilization Clinic is voluntary. 

“It’s about how we can help support people through one of the toughest times in their lives and get them stabilized so they no longer feel like they are in crisis and can start working on their goals,” Lindsey said. “It’s a place for anyone who needs that stabilization and supportive environment. Though the majority of people we see are unhoused, we serve plenty who are housed.” 

Your loved one is assigned to one of the 16 beds in the clinic and has a medication evaluation with a provider. They can start, restart or adjust medications. They can participate in three group therapy sessions a day where they interact with others and learn coping skills.

“It gives people the opportunity to make connections and get strength from one another,” Lindsey said. “It’s important for individuals to not feel like they are alone.”

The groups include coping skills, such as: deep breathing exercises for anxiety; grounding exercises that engage the five senses; listening to music as a calming tool and identifying triggers that could lead to a crisis.

Your loved one also takes four breaks per day outside in a courtyard to get some fresh air. They have three meals per day in a cafeteria and have access to snacks, water, coffee, tea and juice. They watch television, play video games and board games, do puzzles and get creative with art supplies. They’re able to use a computer and can also ask for a one-on-one session with a therapist. 

A case manager checks in with your loved one and connects them with resources such as signing up for Medicaid and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). They help them get an appointment set up at WellPower to continue their mental health services.

30 Days at the Transitional Shelter Program

Your loved one is reevaluated on their third and sixth days at the Crisis Stabilization Clinic. In this example, they feel stable. But, they don’t have a stable home to go to. So, they work with their care team to create a well-being action plan and a dispatch plan to determine where they go next. (The average stay at the Crisis Stabilization Clinic is about 5-6 days.)

Your loved one is referred to the Transitional Shelter Program on the third floor at the Behavioral Health Solutions Center. Here, they have a safe place to stay for up to 30 days. No treatment is provided; it is purely a housing resource. But, your loved one was connected with outpatient mental health services through WellPower during their stay at the Crisis Stabilization Clinic, and their care team can meet with them here. 

In this example, your loved one continues their mental health treatment, and they are connected with WellPower’s Housing Services, so they have a safe place to stay after their 30 days at the Transitional Shelter Program. 

“When you watch someone in crisis come in and you see them improving, you see how quickly a crisis can be resolved when they have their basic needs met and get access to some tools,” Lindsey said. “We have a respectful and compassionate approach, and we meet people where they’re at today.”