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Members of UCS Crisis Team: Rachel Burnham, Robert Condolora, and Vicky PotterUnited Counseling Service (UCS) program expanded to meet critical community need
A three-bed Integrated Crisis Stabilization Services (ICSS) Program aims to meet essential community needs in Bennington County. ICSS is offered by UCS, a nonprofit community-based agency, and part of the Vermont Care Partners (VCP) network, and is based at the Battelle House in Bennington, VT. ICSS reduces barriers to treatment by combining a Public Inebriate Program (PIP) with mental health crisis stabilization providing short-term support for adults experiencing mental health and/or substance use crises.
ICSS is an expanded offering for UCS, and an essential one. As UCS Medical Director Alya Reeve describes, “ICSS aims to meet the needs of our community by removing barriers to accessing support and treatment for those experiencing a substance use and/or mental health crisis.”
A PIP provides a safe alternative for those detained by the police for public intoxication who would otherwise be placed in protective custody. Previously, Vermont’s PIPs only served individuals intoxicated from alcohol. Now, the program includes working with individuals under the influence of any substance. This allows Battelle House to accept community members who are experiencing any substance use episodes. “Alcohol isn’t the only substance that is problematic in our community,” says UCS Assistant Medical Director and Director of Emergency Services Rachel Burnham, “and our care offerings now reflect that, enabling more people in our community to access these vital resources.”
Treating the whole person: Addressing the connection between mental health and substance use
VCP and the VCP Network are working with the Department of Mental Health and Department of Substance Use to design a sustainable programmatic and financial framework integrating PIP and mental health crisis beds. UCS is one of two network agencies that are currently piloting the integrated program. UCS and state partners are working together to create programming that addresses both mental health and substance use, understanding that the two often go hand in hand. “By integrating mental health and substance use, we are able to take a more holistic approach in treating the whole person,” says Burnham.
The program follows new proposed state guidelines to meet a growing need for crisis beds that accept individuals in intoxicated states. According to a 2020 report from the National Institutes on Drug Abuse, many national surveys have found that about half of individuals who experience a mental illness during their lives will also experience a substance use disorder, and vice versa.
“We took our existing program and grew it into an integrated program, so that more people can be served and included,” adds Reeve. “Due to the new state guidelines, we can work with a broader spectrum of people, helping them stabilize, remain in their community, and perhaps avoid the emergency room or hospitalization. There are people who want to address their addictive patterns and mental health issues that drive their substance use and we can now meet that need.”
What can someone expect at ICSS?
Battelle House Living RoomReferrals to ICSS can come from a variety of sources: law enforcement, the emergency department, or even a community member concerned about a neighbor in distress. Currently, UCS Crisis Clinicians will then screen the individual to determine if admission to Battelle House is appropriate. Screening can take place anywhere in Bennington County with UCS’ mobile crisis services model. If an admission is recommended, we work with the individual to make a plan to come to Battelle House.
A stay at Battelle House is voluntary and individuals can enter and leave as they like. Length of stay varies for each person, ranging from one night to several days, depending on the level of need. In some cases, a stay might be just a couple of hours, enough time to receive support from staff before returning home. While at ICSS, individuals are offered brief therapeutic interventions and skill-building activities focused on coping, independence, and sobriety or harm reduction. Most importantly, they can count on a safe place to stabilize from a mental health and/or substance use crisis while being supported by trained staff in a comfortable home-like environment.
Vicky Potter, Nurse at Battelle HouseCrisis stabilization staff serve as the first line of contact for those in crisis or callers making referrals. Staff also offer therapeutic support, structure throughout the day and meals for those staying at Battelle. “Staff really are the core of the program,” says Burnham.
If the individual is interested in ongoing support or treatment, staff can connect them with those services as part of the transition from Battelle House to home. With the launch of ICSS, UCS can provide referrals to substance use services as a resource, in addition to outpatient mental health services. “The screening and follow-up by our Substance Use Services team will be really helpful,” says Burnham. “We’ll be able to screen more people and refer them for follow-up by Substance Use Services in addition to offering outpatient treatment.”
Building on a strong foundation for the future
ICSS at UCS builds on the established reputation of the agency’s Crisis Stabilization Program that community members already seek out for support. Burnham recognizes that many local people consistently call UCS Crisis Services for help because of the established relationships they have with staff. Her team reported a notable increase in telephone communications and community reliance on Crisis Services last year, reaching as many as 4,445 telephone contacts. For community members, just knowing that someone is ready to help at the other end of the phone makes a world of difference.
“We offer a direct crisis phone line that you can call to connect with support staff during business hours versus going through an answering service or paging system,” says Burnham. “You can call and reach somebody in real time. I think people really take advantage of that in a positive way.”
UCS will continue to work with the Department of Mental Health and Department of Substance Use to track utilization data and report out on outcomes of the ICSS Program. Data and outcomes reporting will help determine the success of the new model as well as help inform us if there is a necessity to make any changes. “We are incredibly excited to work with our state partners to bring this much needed service to our community,” says Burnham.
United Counseling Service (UCS) is committed to helping individuals and families in Bennington County live healthy, meaningful lives. Our work spans mental health, substance use treatment, intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), and early childhood development. UCS is a private, non-profit community mental health center that has been an essential part of Bennington County’s integrated healthcare system since 1958.
For more information or to access our services, visit ucsvt.org or call (802) 442-5491.
This article is part of a series, collaboratively produced by members of Vermont Care Partners, a statewide network of sixteen non-profit, community-based agencies providing mental health, substance use, and intellectual and developmental disability supports.
