2 additional facilities join our crisis services program

We’re continuing to grow our crisis services program, offering members who are experiencing a mental health crisis a wider array of appropriate options. Since we last wrote about our crisis services in the January-February issue of this newsletter, Network 180 and Integrated Services of Kalamazoo have joined the program.

Our research with participating facilities has found that members who visit a crisis services location are directed to outpatient services, rather than an emergency department, the vast majority of the time and are receiving behavioral health services more quickly. For example, Common Ground is directing them to an outpatient facility 75% of the time.

“This is not only helping our members receive appropriate care but can help them save time and money,” said William Beecroft, M.D., medical director of behavioral health for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. “Emergency departments are among the most expensive care settings and an emergency department visit can be very time-consuming.”

See the table below for the current crisis locations, service areas and available care options.

If you’re a health care provider interested in joining this program, send an email to Dr. William Beecroft at wbeecroft@bcbsm.com or William Pompos at wpompos@bcbsm.com.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network are nonprofit corporations and independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.