New mobile response effort has helped two avoid hospitalization so far, officials say

So far two people have avoided hospitalization thanks to the new Mobile Crisis Response team, said Denny Pfrimmer executive director of Capital Area Counseling.

The team was created in the wake of the recent loss of the crisis room at Avera St.

Right now, two clinicians respond to an incident so they can gain experience. Maryas Foundation, applied for a Community Innovation Grant from the Minnesota based Bush Foundation and the South Dakota Community Foundation.

Itas not necessarily the $10,000 that will make the biggest difference to the Community Crisis Response effort, Lee said, it will be the focus that comes from the reporting requirements that come with any grant.

Lee said, the grant will be used to help find better ways to treat people in the area who are suffering from a mental health crisis.

aThere is no one that has the challenges that we do,a Lee said. aWe donat have a behavioral health center.a

Lee is a member of the Community Crisis Team and said mental health treatment has been an incredibly difficult nut to crack in the Pierre and Fort Pierre area.

That is, unless the new mobile response team can intervene and work with families, friends and the patients themselves to find a way to prevent hospitalization.

The new grant will be used to plan more solutions for mental health treatment in the area, Lee said.

aWe came up with a lot of ideas but we need to do more planning,a she said.

One aspect of the process will be community involvement, Lee said.

aIt canat just be six people in a room making decisions,a she said.