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Tag: CORE

A large group of people in a training room.

October 25, 2023 in Behavioral Health NewsHealth NewsHOPE NewsNews

Community partners join for training to help “High Risk” individuals

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A large group of people in a training room.

Local service providers and law enforcement have teamed up to implement a new model aimed at coordinating efforts to support Benton County’s highest risk individuals that present impending or significant danger to themselves or others.

Representatives from social services, healthcare, and public safety (police, fire, and Emergency Medical Services) came together for two days of initial training on the Situation Table approach. The training took place from October 19-20 at the Benton County Department of Human Services building in Corvallis.

“The Situation Table’s goal is to offer solutions to individuals at high risk before situations escalate,” stated Benton County Commissioner, Xan Augerot.

The Situation Table is a risk-based, rapid triage model that brings together various human service providers in the community for regular meetings to address situations where individuals or families are confronted with a specific threshold of Acutely Elevated Risk (AER). AER refers to situations that have a detrimental impact on an individual, family, group, or location, where there is a high likelihood of imminent and substantial harm to oneself or others.

The Situation Table aims to help those who often face the highest levels of risk in the community and who tend to fall through the cracks in the system. The model’s objective is to bring together multiple agencies in a holistic manner to assist those in need at a pre-incident level. Sometimes a single agency can address one of the individual’s issues but may not be able to solve the whole problem. A case brought before the Situation Table would offer a more comprehensive approach from multiple agencies to individuals in crisis.

The Situation Table, also known as the “Hub model”, originated in Prince Albert, Canada, and had an immediate impact on the city. Within the first two years of its implementation, the rate of violent crime dropped by 42 percent, as reported by Brent Kalinowski, a former Prince Albert police officer who played a pivotal role in creating the program.

The decision to implement the Situation Table in Benton County emerged as a recommendation from the County’s Home, Opportunity, Planning and Equity (HOPE) Advisory Board. The HOPE Advisory Board is the community engagement arm of Benton County’s Coordinated Homeless Response system which facilitates a comprehensive and coordinated response involving the county, cities, diverse community partners, leaders, and individuals experiencing homelessness.

Corvallis Police Department Captain Joel Goodwin introduced the concept during one of the HOPE board’s monthly meetings. He was impressed by the program’s success in other communities, having conducted extensive research.

“Often, a police department doesn’t have all the necessary tools in one toolbox to address all the issues with at-risk individuals,” noted Captain Goodwin. “Each agency has its own toolbox to address problems through their available means. By bringing everyone together and implementing the Situation Table, we can enhance our creativity in the solutions we can provide.”

The Corvallis-based InterCommunity Health Network Coordinated Care Organization (IHN-CCO) is fully supportive of implementing the Situation Table model. IHN-CCO’s Director of Behavioral Health, Todd Jeter, believes it will help reduce risks for the County’s vulnerable members.

“We are all gathered here at the Situation Table training because we are committed to finding the best ways to serve the community,” said Jeter. “Implementing this model provides an opportunity to further build trust between at-risk individuals, law enforcement, and service agencies.”

Captain Goodwin is optimistic that the Situation Table approach will significantly benefit the County. “I have confidence that Benton County’s pooled resources will enable us to better address the challenges faced by our at-risk community members,” said Goodwin.

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Benton County is an Equal Opportunity-Affirmative Action employer and does not discriminate on the basis of disability in admission or access to our programs, services, activities, hiring and employment practices. This document is available in alternative formats and languages upon request. Please contact the Public Information Office at 541-766-6800 or pioinfo@bentoncountyor.gov.

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Man speaking to two men in law enforcement uniforms in front of a sign that says "At your service every day."

October 26, 2022 in Behavioral Health NewsHealth NewsNews

Benton County Crisis Center a personal passion for an Oregon Senator

Man speaking to two men in law enforcement uniforms in front of a sign that says "At your service every day."
Senator Ron Wyden speaks to local law enforcement personnel.

“This is deeply personal for the Wyden household,” said Oregon Senator Ron Wyden as he toured the site of the upcoming Benton County Crisis Center in downtown Corvallis.

Wyden, along with Benton County Commissioners Nancy Wyse, Pat Malone, and Xan Augerot, toured the building site at the corner of 4th Street and Van Buren Blvd. in downtown Corvallis. The center will offer walk-in mental health services 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It will be a therapeutic place for those in need to stabilize from a mental health crisis from a few hours up to 29 days.

Senator Wyden, along with U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and U.S. Representative Peter DeFazio, helped secure $1 million dollars in congressional funding for the center. During the tour, Wyden said his own brother’s mental health issues spurred him to support this and other services to help those in mental health crises.

“This is something that I am very much committed to tackling personally,” Wyden said.

“We know that we’ve got a lot to do, and this million dollars here at the respite center is dollar for dollar going to be one very, very smart investment because this gives us a chance to do more in the community.”

Man wearing glasses and a suit stands under a canopy next to three others on a rainy day and gestures to an architectural drawing on an easel.
Staff from Mahlum Architects & Gerding Builders present a journey-map for the new facility.

“This is deeply personal for the Wyden household.”

senator ron wyden

The crisis center is a project of Benton County’s Justice System Improvement Program, a multi-year project based on a comprehensive assessment completed in 2018. Addressing mental health needs is a primary focus of the program. This project has received a total of $7.7 million in state and federal funding and additional funds for expanded crisis center services are planned to be included in a proposed bond measure expected to go before voters in May of 2023.

Prior to the tour, Mahlum Architects and Gerding Builders presented a journey-map demonstrating that the design of the facility is based on client needs. The space will be safe, trauma-informed, accessible, welcoming, and meets the unique needs of Benton County residents.

“…crisis counselors available day or night…it’s big!”

Ricky garcia, crisis center project manager

The project design is a collaboration between many public and private organizations including:

  • Benton County Health Department
  • Benton County Public Works
  • Mahlum Architects
  • Gerding Builders
  • Samaritan Health Services
  • InterCommunity Health Network
  • Pathfinder Clubhouse
  • Corvallis Daytime Drop-in Center
  • Strengthening Rural Families
  • Oregon State University

The center will help relieve burdens on Benton County law enforcement as well as Samaritan Health Services.

“Every community is unique, and it takes local leaders and community stakeholders working together to develop something that’s really going to meet the needs of that community,” said Doug Boysen, CEO of Samaritan Health Services. “This was identified as one of our highest needs. So, our community spoke that this was something that was needed.”

A wet and empty lot surrounded by a construction fence on a rainy day with dark grey clouds in the sky. A sign on the fence says "Danger, Construction Area, Keep Out."
Empty lot on the corner of 4th and Buren Streets in Corvallis, Oregon that will be the new site of the crisis center.

“…our community spoke…this was something that was needed.”

Doug boysen, ceo, samAritan health services

The center will help keep individuals from needing to use higher levels of care including the acute psychiatric inpatient unit at Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center. It could also help prevent individuals in need of treatment from facing incarceration at the Benton County Jail by providing a voluntary, treatment-centered approach. Representatives of the County’s law enforcement community attended the tour to show their support.

The center will offer services such as:

  • Crisis assessments and case management
  • Short-term therapy and skills training
  • Connection to treatment services and social services
  • Engagement with primary care providers

“With this new facility, our aim is to provide improved access to mental health crisis services by operating the crisis center 24/7, 365 days a year,” said Ricky Garcia, from Benton County Health. “This means crisis counselors available to help and support individuals in need day or night, rain or shine. It’s big!”

For more information about the Benton County Crisis Center, please email healthdeptcomms@co.benton.or.us.

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Benton County is an Equal Opportunity-Affirmative Action employer and does not discriminate on the basis of disability in admission or access to our programs, services, activities, hiring and employment practices. This document is available in alternative formats and languages upon request. Please contact the Public Information Office at 541-766-6800 or pioinfo@bentoncountyor.gov.

Partner logo for CORE, Benton County, and Corvallis Police Department

August 25, 2022 in Behavioral Health NewsHealth NewsNews

Mental health & law enforcement crisis co-response growing after initial successes

The Crisis, Outreach, Response, and Engagement, or CORE, co-response program is growing as a result of successful partnership between Benton County Health Department and Corvallis Police Department.

Partner logo for CORE, Benton County, and Corvallis Police Department

The Corvallis Police Department experienced a 58% increase in calls related to mental health services.

In July 2021, the two agencies launched the CORE program, which pairs a qualified mental health professional and a crisis intervention-trained police officer to resolve mental health crisis calls to minimize incarceration or emergency room visits.

The program was created in response to a growing need for mental health services in Benton County. From 2018 to 2021, the Corvallis Police Department experienced a 58% increase in calls related to mental health services.

Building upon a national framework for law enforcement and behavioral health crisis co-response, CPD and Benton County Behavioral Health decided to pilot the crisis co-response program using existing staff members to measure the program’s success.

The CORE program’s pilot team members include Alyssa Giesbrecht from Benton County Behavioral Health and Officer Trevor Anderson of CPD. Giesbrecht has more than six years’ experience working in mental health, a master’s degree in counseling, and a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. Anderson’s work for CPD includes education and outreach as part of the community livability unit as well as teaching and coordinating mental health crisis intervention and response.

CORE’s mission is to provide trauma-informed care to those experiencing a mental health crisis while ensuring the safety of responders, the person in crisis, and the community. “We know that some folks experiencing mental health crisis may feel fearful of law enforcement, said Eric Bowling, Crisis Manager for Benton County Behavioral Health. “We want to help them feel safe and we want our staff to stay safe as well.”

Geisbrecht wears a protective vest underneath her gray Benton County polo to distinguish her from law enforcement while also keeping her safe.

With just two team members, CORE is not the primary responder to every call for service. Calls to CPD that involve a mental health aspect are assessed for review and response by the CORE team. The CORE team has the ability to spend more time on a call for service, specific to the individual. The team uses crisis intervention techniques to de-escalate people in crisis and can provide referrals, resources, and follow up care for support.

In the program’s first six months, the CORE team responded to 27% of mental health calls made to Corvallis police. From July to December 2021, the Corvallis Police Department responded to 777 calls with a mental health aspect. The CORE team reviewed 268 of these calls for opportunities to offer assistance. Of the 268 mental health calls reviewed, 55% were resolved at the scene with services or resources provided.

“We want to help them feel safe and we want our staff to stay safe as well.”

Eric bowling, crisis manager

Only 3% were taken to the hospital and 1% were arrested.

Following the success of the pilot in resolving mental health service calls to police while minimizing hospital visits or incarceration, the program is looking to grow. Corvallis Police Department hopes to route even more mental health calls to CORE for trauma-informed mental health interventions. Benton County Behavioral Health is currently recruiting for another qualified mental health professional to join the team. Interested individuals can contact Eric Bowling at 541-766-6133 for more information about the position.

Benton County also hopes to expand other programs, in addition to CORE, that combine mental health and community safety as part of its Justice System Improvement Plan (JSIP). To learn more about JSIP, visit: co.benton.or.us/justice

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Benton County is an Equal Opportunity-Affirmative Action employer and does not discriminate on the basis of disability in admission or access to our programs, services, activities, hiring and employment practices. This document is available in alternative formats and languages upon request. Please contact the Public Information Office at 541-766-6800 or pioinfo@bentoncountyor.gov.

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