East Providence, R.I. – In
partnership with Governor Gina M. Raimondo, Community Care Alliance (CCA) and
the State’s health and human services agencies, Horizon Healthcare Partners
invited first responders, providers, stakeholders and members of the public for
an open house and tour of the State’s new Behavioral Health Link Triage &
Call Center (BH Link) before its official opening on Wednesday, November 14th.
BH Link is a 24/7 facility for Rhode
Islanders experiencing behavioral health crises, including substance use
disorder, and for the families and friends of those individuals struggling to
find help.
“This opening is a critical step in our
efforts to better support Rhode Islanders living with mental and behavioral
health issues,” said Governor Gina Raimondo. “Often, when people need help,
they need it right away. But for too long, that hasn’t been possible. This
hotline and triage center will begin to bridge that gap. Rhode Islanders should
know that recovery is possible, and that it’s OK to seek help.”
In January 2018, Governor Raimondo
proposed creating a one-stop shop for behavioral health crises as part of her
Fiscal Year 2019 budget to help ensure people with urgent mental health care
needs are connected instantly and efficiently to the care they need. Most
recent data show that about 15 percent of emergency room visits are behavioral
health-related. Horizon Healthcare Partners, a Rhode Island-based network of
mental health organizations, will operate the triage and call center.
“Horizon Healthcare Partners’ mission
is to meet the behavioral health care needs of Rhode Islanders,” said Jim
Ryczek, CEO of Horizon Healthcare Partners. “We are thrilled to partner with
the Governor, EOHHS, BHDDH, Community Care Alliance, first responders and our
many other community partners to deliver swift services and supports through BH
Link. We look forward to providing the information, compassion, and help Rhode
Islanders experiencing behavioral health crises need to recover, heal, and live
happy lives.”
BH Link will provide immediate
assistance and support with the help of a professional team of registered
nurses, counselors, psychiatrists, phone screeners and peer specialists. Among
the services that will be provided through BH Link are a crisis and suicide
hotline, housing and basic needs referrals, mobile crisis services, short-term
psychiatric services, substance use disorder assessments and education,
domestic violence assessments/referrals and more.
BH Link complements the
Administration’s broader efforts to tackle behavioral health issues in Rhode
Island. In May 2018, the Governor also signed an Executive
Order that directs state agencies to expand access to treatment for
people living with mental illness or substance use disorders, ensure parity
between physical and mental health, and encourage people to seek treatment when
needed.
“We must continue to work toward
breaking down mental health barriers in Rhode Island,” said Eric J. Beane,
Secretary of the Executive Office of Health and Human Services. “The first step
is really holding those conversations with our loved ones and letting them know
it’s OK to not be OK. We’ve made an effort to bring those discussions to the
forefront across Rhode Island over the last few months as part of the
Governor’s Executive Order. But the other piece of this speaks to part of EOHHS’
mission, which is to ensure Rhode Islanders have access to the services they
need to live healthy, fulfilling lives. No one should suffer in silence. BH
Link will be a resource for those who need help and don’t know where to turn.”
“We know that treatment works and
recovery is possible, but lack of access was a crucial missing element,” said
BHDDH Director Rebecca Boss. “Whether someone is struggling with addiction, or
needs support for a mental health condition, BH Link can provide the connection
to the appropriate level of care. The focus of this program is providing
services in the community – not in a hospital and not through the criminal
justice system.”
In addition to providing access to a
wide array of services for Rhode Islanders in crises, the facility’s staff will
also work to ensure seamless transfers of ongoing behavioral health care.
"At
Community Care Alliance we feel privileged to have played a role in the design
and implementation of BH Link,” said Ben Lessing, CEO of Community Care Alliance.
“CCA has a long and successful history in providing community-based crisis
intervention and creating alternatives to using more traditional inpatient
psychiatric hospital settings to provide care for individuals on distress. We
believe BH Link will be a game changer in terms of providing access,
stabilization and collaboration with community-based providers to better care
for individuals experiencing mental health and addiction crises."
BH Link also received a $300,000 bridge
loan for startup costs from Rhode Island Foundation, a community and
philanthropic leader dedicated to improving economic, educational and health
outcomes for Rhode Islanders.
“Impact investing is about aligning our
financial investments with our mission. Creative, community-based behavioral
health collaborations like this improve the health of Rhode Islanders, reduce
costs and enhance the quality of care,” said Jessica David, executive vice
president of Strategy and Community Investments at Rhode Island Foundation.
If you are having a mental health
crisis or are a family member or friend who does not know where to turn for
help, call 401-414-LINK (5465) or visit www.BHLink.org. The hotline and triage
center will begin its 24/7 operations at 7 a.m. on Wednesday, November 14th.