Nov. 20, 2020: This spring, as COVID-19 forced society to come to an abrupt standstill, mobile crisis responders like the Specialized Alternatives for Families and Youth (SAFY) of Colorado Mobile Crisis Response team remained hyper focused on providing 24/7 support to individuals experiencing a behavioral health crisis. SAFY is a mobile crisis provider for Colorado Crisis Services (CCS), the statewide crisis system offering mental health, substance use or emotional crisis intervention, referrals, coordination of care. SAFY serves individuals in Adams, Arapahoe, and Douglas counties. Mobile crisis response is a key component of the CCS toolbox, designed to support those unable to access a walk-in crisis center with a continuum of care needs ranging from emotional support to resource coordination to acute treatment for stabilization.
Mobile teams are dispatched when a clinician with the statewide Crisis Line determines that the best intervention requires face-to-face interaction. Throughout COVID-19’s disruptions, SAFY has remained committed to contacting and initiating support for 100% of the referrals it receives from the Crisis Line. SAFY does not turn down referrals, regardless of the restrictions in place and goes out of its way to spend time gathering support and community resources for clients. What this has meant in practice is that the team is adaptable, providing video and telephonic support when appropriate, and always using its best judgment on when and how to respond in person given the COVID precautions.
This commitment does come with its challenges, as SAFY had to act swiftly to ensure that its team is equipped with essential personal protective equipment. It has also invested in ensuring that responders are in possession of the most up-to-date and advanced risk assessment skills within the context of the pandemic.
“Since schools went back to a hybrid schedule of in-person and online learning - we have made a collective decision to respond to all student crisis situations within the school system,” says Megan Strauss, program director of mobile crisis response for SAFY Colorado. “Right now, our students are amid crisis, primarily due to new schedules and restrictions constantly changing. The schools have been great about following guidelines, providing privacy within social distancing, and supporting us while we support their students.” Earlier this year, 9News highlighted the critical role that SAFY Colorado played following a spike in youth suicides in Adams County.
SAFY joined CCS as a mobile crisis provider in December 2019 and operates in crisis region 3, which is managed by the administrative services organization Signal Behavioral Health Network. The number of individuals reaching out to CCS statewide has grown significantly and steadily since March, meaning the services provided by SAFY and other crisis providers remain critical.