Communications Manager, Tanya Andersen Buckingham buckingham.tanya@danecounty.gov
The Behavioral Health Resource Center is approaching its two-year anniversary. The BHRC is a warm and welcoming program that helps all Dane County residents and families struggling with mental health or addiction find the care they need. Here in Dane County, just as is true across the country, need for behavioral health care continues to grow. There has been a nearly 19% increase in call volume from the first year and a record call volume set in March, with 238 calls. The COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated the demand and worker shortages; as waitlists grow, consumers lose hope or get lost in the system. The BHRC walks alongside the consumer and/or their family--regardless of their insurance coverage, financial status, age, identity, ability, or legal status--helping them continue to navigate the complex process until appropriate services are available.
Consumers and providers often provide direct feedback to staff in addition to the survey presented at the closure of each case, themes of the reflect a recent comment from a consumer, “[The BHRC staff are] super nice and super helpful…the most helpful people I’ve spoken to in the last 6-9 months.” Many consumers offer reflection on the impact of having this community resource during a difficult time in their life, “The people who work there are incredible. I was in a rough place, but the person I talked to was very supportive and followed up with me to make sure I was on track to getting help.” The staff has had to grow to meet the need of our community, from the three who opened the BHRC two years ago to the nine working there today. 3,500 consumers, concerned others and professionals have been served, and roughly 175 cases are active at any given time.
BHRC staff are working to destigmatize mental health support by creating alternative approaches to the most commonly thought of intervention types. Peer Support has been tremendously successful and offered by many organizations throughout Dane County. Support can exist individually, in support groups, at respite centers, in community centers, related to vocation, and beyond. The BHRC Peer Support services are short-term, and meant to fill the gap of support while individuals work towards connecting to other mental health services. Additionally, the importance of having a support system that reflects the identity of the consumers is in high demand. Increasing the number of case managers and peer-to-peer specialists would help the service providers meet the requests of those seeking care. Frequently, a consumer is interested in receiving care from a qualified case manager who shares their gender, sexuality, race, or other lived experiences. Increased hiring of case managers makes this possible.
Voluntarily collected identity information (BHRC clients can remain anonymous) shows that the demand for services from older adults is increasing as that population in Dane County is expected to nearly double over the course of a few decades, disproportionately LGBTQ+ and Black and youth of color are impacted by depression and anxiety. People living in rural areas also face high barriers to access, including stigma and lack of anonymity, reliable transportation, or flexible work schedules, in addition to a lack of access to medications that can assist in treating opioid addiction. Across all consumers the three biggest barriers to treatment are waitlists, insurance limitations, and scheduling/hours. Expanding capacity among current providers and adding providers is vital to getting services in a timely manner.
While wait times for a patient to connect with a service provider vary dramatically, individuals or families can find themselves waiting several weeks or months—this can feel like eternity for someone in crisis. The staff stay with that consumer until they connect with the necessary care and the staff at BHRC have seen a meaningful difference in the work they do, as one member reflected, “I love working for the BHRC because we help vulnerable people in the community with their recovery process and ensure they have been connected to services. I also enjoy working with people across the lifespan and have the ability to touch multiple cultures and populations. Our process includes the need for both primary care healthcare and mental health care which are both important in maintaining overall stability.”
If you or a loved one are experiencing a mental health crisis, please contact Journey Mental Health Center 24-hour crisis line at 608-280-2600. If you or someone you care about needs help finding mental health and/or substance use services in Dane County, the BHRC is a free service to all residents: 608-267-2244.
