CRISIS CENTER
Triage and Evaluation Beds

(T&E Residential Crisis Beds)

The Triage and Evaluation Beds, a seven-bed residential unit, are used as part of our program to offer alternatives to hospitalization. The purpose is to offer a place for clients who need psychiatric stabilization. Our experience shows that in some cases, this allows clients to remain in the community and avoid costly psychiatric hospitalization.

Crisis Center therapists evaluate clients who have a wide range of problems and difficult situations. A T&E bed might be used when:

• An individual is at risk of being referred for inpatient psychiatric treatment;

• There is a need for increased supervision and stabilization while an individual starts or continues treatment;

• Complex psychiatric and/or psychosocial factors make it necessary to evaluate an individual over time to determine the best course of treatment;

• An individual needs temporary relief from a living environment that may be increasing psychiatric distress;

• Medically, cognitively, physically, and/or psychiatrically vulnerable adults are referred by Adult Protective Services while longer-term care plans are developed;

• Shelter system residents who are at risk of losing placements because of their behavioral and/or psychiatric issues;

• The need for residential assistance and other psychosocial services during a county-wide disaster.

When Crisis Center therapists assist an individual who has one or more of these issues, the client may be admitted to the T&E beds and provided with the following services as needed:

• Residential crisis stabilization

• Temporary placement for vulnerable adults (Adult Protective Services clients)

• Behavioral consultation

• County disaster assistance

Clients stay in the T&E program for up to 72 hours and are monitored and routinely assessed by Crisis Center therapists and counselors.  Emphasis is placed on collaboration with the client’s current treatment providers and maintaining activities that provide support and stabilization for the client (work, school, 12-step meetings, etc). Interventions such as medication adjustment and individual and group crisis intervention counseling (including ongoing risk assessment) are used to stabilize the crisis and to help clients avoid psychiatric hospitalization.

During the last five years there have been more than 900 admissions to the T&E program.  More than 92% of those clients were able to stabilize their crisis situation without requiring referral for inpatient psychiatric treatment.

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