Mobile crisis response unit sees success in Gallatin County

Sept. 15, 2023
Original story by ABC Fox Montana can be found here.

By Alex McCollum

The Gallatin Mobile Crisis Response Unit has been up and running since July 2022 and has seen success in helping those experiencing mental health crises. 

Data shows that around 80% percent of people who call the service for help can stay in their community with their natural support after the team responds. This means only 20% need a higher level of care like hospitalization. That’s above the U.S.’s average of 30% requiring further care, said Paige Bichler, Connections Health Solutions vice president of operations. 

Connections Health Solutions works with Gallatin County to provide this service, which functions in the same capacity as other first responders. The goal is to have mental healthcare providers responding in mental-health related emergencies. 

In the past, Gallatin County relied almost entirely on law enforcement to respond to these calls, at one point with a mental healthcare co-responder, said County Commissioner Zach Brown. But the county wanted a full-time service dedicated to these calls. 

“We're trying to essentially create an environment where folks who are struggling with mental health services can get direct access to services without necessarily needing to go through their emergency room at the hospital or 911,” he said. 

The unit is made up of two teams of two and operates 10 a.m. - 10 p.m. every day of the week. They use the same dispatch system as other first responders and look for mental health-related calls. 

“You could see anything from suicidal ideation, so someone to experiencing that kind of crisis... Domestic violence, we could come in and support that, all the way up to psychosis,” Bichler said. “So, it kind of runs the gamut, you know, anxiety, depression, all the way to psychosis. The team can come in and provide those supports.” 

Police or fire may also call them in to help with cases and they take referrals from these other teams to follow up on cases or help connect people with the right resources for help. 

The unit has also benefited the police and the sheriff’s department because they can now focus more time and resources on covering crime. Police have training on how to handle mental health calls, but not as much training as actual mental health professionals, said Andy Knight, Bozeman deputy police chief. 

“If we can use Gallatin mobile crisis and they show up and resolve issues where an officer doesn’t need to be there, that’s the goal of the program and it works great,” he said. 

In August, Bozeman Police asked the unit to help respond to over 20 calls, Knight said. 

In total, the unit provided 178 services throughout the month, Bichler said. 

The Gallatin Mobile Crisis Response Unit can be reached by calling 988, Montana’s suicide and crisis lifeline. They can also be reached through a 911 call.