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Crisis Care Center can help mentally ill facing jail in Rapid City

The Rapid City Journal - 2/11/2017

There is one small ray of hope for individuals suffering from mental illness who hope to avoid being sent to jail in the wake of the major policy change by Rapid City Regional Hospital, which took effect Feb. 1.

The hospital is no longer taking in certain types of mentally ill patients and will instead contact the Pennington County Sheriff's Office to take them into custody.

Of the array of mental health providers in the area, the Crisis Care Center is uniquely positioned to help people in need of immediate help, due to either a mental health or substance abuse disorder.

Alan Solano is the chief executive officer of Behavior Management Systems, the nonprofit group that operates the Crisis Care Center. Upon seeing the news that it has become a matter of policy in Rapid City to jail people with mental health problems, Solano wanted to raise awareness about his group and the services it provides.

"One of the greatest things people have is hope," Solano said. "I think it's important for all of us to make sure we're offering that hopeful environment for people who are struggling."

Solano hopes the Crisis Care Center can provide that environment while keeping in mind that it is not the end-all solution to the severe lack of crisis and long-term mental health services in Rapid City.

"Are we a part of that solution? Yes," Solano said. "Are we the solution? Probably not."

The Crisis Care Center offers a wide variety of 24-hour counseling services for individuals in crisis.

Located at 121 North St., the Crisis Care Center has room to accommodate eight people at a time. Most people who go there stay for an average of about six and a half hours, Solano said, after which they are referred to other services if need be.

In December, the Crisis Care Center had 163 admissions, and a total of 1,812 for last year. Most people come of their own accord, though Rapid City Regional has referred people to the Crisis Care Center when the Behavioral Health Center is full.

"A person's ability to pay does not stop them getting into these programs," Solano said.

Many people come because they are suicidal, which is a population that Solano said he is hopeful will be referred to the Crisis Care Center by Regional instead of to the sheriff's office per the hospital's new policy.

The Crisis Care Center sprang from a needs assessment in 2007, which determined that the Black Hills are lacking mental health and substance abuse services. More than 40 local organizations joined in a coalition to form the center, which opened in 2011.

For more information, call the Crisis Care Center at 391-4863, or 381-2482.

For information on more mental health services available in the Black Hills, dial the Helpline Center at 211.