How did the partnership start? 

  • We have engaged a full partnership model with the Sheriff’s Department: Financial Assistance Fraud Investigator / Embedded Detective in Child Protection / most recently The Yellow Line Project.
  • It is definitely about mutuality & partnership with Law Enforcement/clean handoffs for access to direct services, case tracking, and follow-up on goals/we are consciously engaging the complexity of diversion for acute and chronic individuals (CD/MH).

Please give a 10,000-foot overview of the program

  • YLP is based on the premise of trying to screen 100% of individuals (for primary CD & MH concerns) who could be incarcerated.
  • During the Pilot we have used pre-booking area to centralize the screening whenever possible.
  • We want to make the screening as streamlined as possible for Law Enforcement Officers and offer more upstream choices to law enforcement beyond ED, Detox, or Jail.
  • We hope to standardize training and practices over time to increase reliability of decision-making and reduce inequities of access to services (may include issues of race, poverty, etc.)

What caused you to change direction from a Hub to the Yellow line project? 

  • The Hub is our 10 County Psychiatric clinic that is in full operation (not changed). We also have a vendor-based contract within the jail for health services. In the next chapter of development we will continue to look for ways to streamline direct care and improve access to services using both diversion methods and in-jail services.  

Why do you think it is working?

  • Case level successes (always first and foremost)
  • Great improvement of mutuality with Law Enforcement (philosophically, practically with clean handoffs, and systemically 1+1= 2 ½)
  • Financially with AMRTC & Detox cost reductions, as well as reducing bed days in Jail, and ancillary costs with Court Time/Corrections, etc.

How do you work with the crisis team? Did increasing the CRT team make a difference?

  • Our utilization of our Mobile Team was very low prior to the Yellow Line Project as Law Enforcement seldom if ever used the resource.
  • Since 24/7 implementation we have included the Mobile Team and our Crisis Center as primary partners at utilization is dramatically higher.
  • The Mobile Team is currently helping to cover 24/7 access for screenings yet they still hand off screenings to our Community Based Coordinator (provided through Human Services) who follows up with treatment planning and tracks progress on goals.

Are you looking at housing issues?

  • Yes both short term and long term housing options are clearly critical components.
  • Sometimes it is the primary presenting need (CD and MH can be secondary interventions in theses cases)