The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare (DHW) and the Idaho Department of Juvenile Corrections (IDJC) have awarded grant funding to four applicants to operate youth behavioral health community crisis centers in Idaho. The centers will provide a place for youth to go if they are experiencing a behavioral health crisis.
The recipients of the grant funding are:
- District 3 – Southwest District Health
- District 4 – Pathways of Idaho
- District 5 – Proactive Behavioral Health
- District 7 – Badger, Inc., an affiliate agency of Rehabilitative Health Services (RHS)
The centers will operate every day all year to provide evaluation, intervention, and referrals for youth experiencing a crisis due to serious mental illness or substance use disorder.
“These centers will make it easier and faster for young Idahoans to get help when they’re in crisis,” says DHW Director Dave Jeppesen. “By doing so, we expect we will reduce the rate of youth hospitalization and incarceration in Idaho.”
Youth can stay at one of the centers for up to 23 hours and 59 minutes and will receive a place to rest, food, and services from mental health professionals to stabilize the crisis, develop a plan of care, and get provider referrals to resources.
Services include:
- 24-hour crisis hotline
- Medical screening
- Assessment
- Crisis intervention services
- Community-based referrals
“By giving young people a place to seek help, we expect these centers will reduce domestic violence, child abuse, and out-of-home placements, which are often the result of untreated behavioral health issues,” says IDJC Director Monty Prow.
The initiative to establish youth community crisis centers was a recommendation from the Idaho Behavioral Health Council (IBHC). The council was a result of the Idaho Senate’s Concurrent Resolution No. 126, Executive Order No. 2020-04 and the Certified Court Proclamation – Behavioral Health Initiative 1. Idaho Behavioral Health Council. Gov. Brad Little adopted the IBHC’s recommendation as part of his Leading Idaho plan, which expanded behavioral health resources by $50 million. A one-time general fund appropriation of $4.42 million was allocated to support development of the youth community crisis centers.
The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare is dedicated to strengthening the health, safety, and independence of Idahoans. Learn more at healthandwelfare.idaho.gov.
The Idaho Department of Juvenile Corrections seeks to develop productive citizens in active partnership with communities. Learn more at idjc.idaho.gov.