Idaho to create safe places for youth to seek help during behavioral health crisis
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) - Two state agencies, the Department of Juvenile Corrections (IDJC) and the Department of Health and Welfare (IDHW) are teaming up to make it easier for youth in Idaho to receive help through Youth Behavioral Health Community Crisis Centers (YBHCCC) if they are experiencing a behavioral health crisis.
The initiative to establish YBHCCCs was a recommendation from the Idaho Behavioral Health Council (IBHC). The (IBHC) is a result of the Senate’s concurrent Resolution No. 126, Executive Order No. 2020-04 and the Certified Court Proclamation – Behavioral Health Initiative 1. Idaho Behavioral Health Council. Governor Little adopted the IBHC’s recommendation as part of his Leading Idaho plan which expanded behavioral health resources by $50 million. A one-time general fund of 4.42 Million was allocated to support YBHCCC’s development.
“Many young people who are experiencing a behavioral health crisis eventually end up hospitalized or incarcerated, and those are expensive and sometimes ineffective options,” IDJC Director Monty Prow said. “By making it easier and faster for youth to get help, these centers will create opportunities for better outcomes at far less cost to taxpayers.”
The IDJC and the IDHW are funding the development of YBHCCCs around the state. The centers will provide young people with a safe place to get help if they are having suicidal thoughts or struggling with issues like drug abuse or domestic violence. Youth will be able to stay at these centers for up to 24 hours. During the crisis intervention it’s expected behavioral health professionals will be able to deescalate a young person’s crisis and connect them with community-based resources in just a matter of hours.
“In addition to reducing hospitalization and incarceration, youth crisis centers have been shown to reduce domestic violence, child abuse and out-of-home placements,” IDHW Director Dave Jeppesen said.
The IDJC and the IDHW will invite organizations to apply for grant funding aimed to establish these centers.
