The Yadkin Adult Crisis Collaborative is a new initiative amongst several Yadkin County agencies that has reengaged membership to help solve issues that are prevalent amongst Yadkin County residents who are struggling with unmet mental health needs. This group was in operation years ago but stopped meeting actively prior to COVID. In late 2023, the Yadkin County Human Services Agency, Yadkinville Police Department and Partners Behavioral Health decided to resurrect the Adult Crisis Collaborative to streamline service delivery and partner on complex cases. Many of our mutual clients have been struggling with lack of consistent mental health treatment, homelessness, placement disruptions, arrests/criminal charges as well as frequent involuntary commitments. The Yadkin County systems designed to assist with these issues were also struggling to meet the need due to high demand, lack of education of available services and a general lack of coordination amongst agencies.

The group had its first meeting with updated membership in December 2023 and have had focus group meetings monthly along with at-large meetings quarterly. To date, no funds have been spent on this initiative. The focus group identified four primary goals: preventing the escalation of crisis, outcome management, reduce re-traumatization and development and implementation of a Behavioral Response Team for Yadkin County. The group analyzes trends in Emergency Medical Services call data and discusses case-specific scenarios to immediately identify needs of the adult, and how this group can best meet that need to further prevent hospitalization, arrest or lack of housing.

Since March 2024, the group has successfully assisted in 48 behavioral health emergencies within the County and prevented several involuntary commitments due to the collaboration of this group. Through this, YCHSA has provided referral information and assisted with placement for two adults who were homeless and worked alongside four community agencies when a missing person with dementia was found in our county and had a subsequent medical emergency requiring hospitalization. Along with this initiative, YCHSA and Yadkinville Police Department are partnering together to better meet the needs of the two Adult Care Homes in Yadkin as well as the needs of their residents. We have developed a new process for Law Enforcement and Emergency Management to notify YCHSA of issues around resident right concerns and disruptive behaviors. One challenge that the group faces in terms of fully implementing a Behavioral Response Team is funding. The group is in the process of identifying grant opportunities and has a plan to reach out to governmental agencies and community partners to make this goal become a reality.

In July 2024, this program was awarded the 'Innovations' Award at the Social Services Institute (SSI) in Hickory, NC.