ELIZABETHTOWN — The Bladen County Board of Commissioners were given an update Monday on the services provided by the Mobile Crisis Unit operated by Integrated Family Services.
Since the county contracted with Trillion Health on Feb. 1, IFS became the new crisis provider for behavioral health issues in Bladen County.
According to Tracy Hyde, project manager for IFS, the Mobile Crisis Unit has served 17 individuals from within the county.
“We feel sure that with additional education within the community, as well as our presence at community events, that number will go up,” she said. “And mobile crisis services is our biggest area of service — we’ve been doing this since 2006.”
Hyde went on to explain that the service is available 24/7 to anyone in Bladen County, regardless of age and health insurance status, including those who are visiting and/or on vacation here.
“We basically give folks another option to going to the emergency room for behavioral health issues,” Hyde said. “We work with first responders and law enforcement to help make the best choice for each individual.”
She went on to say that, by law, Mobile Crisis Unit personnel must respond to a call within 2 hours and, in Bladen County, the average time-frame now is between 60 and 75 minutes.
“Our expectations, certainly, are to improve that time-frame,” she said, “But we are dealing with the same kind of employee shortages as many other businesses are, so sometimes we have to send people out of the Wilmington area.”
Once a call is made, Hyde said IFS doesn’t simply handle the initial call — they will make sure the patient is linked with licensed professionals and other resources to make sure they don’t get back into a crisis situation later on.
Some of the resources offered free of charge include a crisis chat, Critical Incident Stress Management and outpatient therapy by tele-health.
“I just want to say that, from everything I’ve heard, you are ding a wonderful job, and we appreciate it very much,” Commissioner Charles Ray Peterson said.
Hyde shared that anyone with questions about the Mobile Crisis Unit can call 910-750-5761.
In other business Monday, the county …
— Was told 321 people died in the county in 2021, while there were three births (two in-home and one at the hospital ER.
— Dr. Terri Duncan, director of the county health department, said the recent vital statistics ranking performed through the University of Wisconsin put Bladen County at No. 85. “That’s good news,” she said, “because in 2018 we were No. 95. It’s still low, but it’s better, and we look forward to moving our number to 74 or better.” By comparison, Robeson County was No. 100 in 2018 and now; Columbus County was No. 96 in 2018 and is No. 91 now.
— Approved an agreement with Fayetteville State University for social worker interns.
— Approved a an agreement with Smith+Gardner for floor repairs and replacement at the Solid Waste Transfer Station.
— Approved an agreement with LKC Engineering to furnish professional engineering services regarding a water system upgrade and extensions into the Tobermory and Live Oak areas. The entire cost will be paid for by Chemours. The first phase will be putting in filtration systems at the wells in those two areas.
— Approved a full-time Solid Waste heavy equipment operator.
— Scheduled a budget work session for June 1 at 5:30 p.m. The first public hearing on the fiscal year 2022023 county budget will be held on June 6 at 6:30 p.m.
W. Curt Vincent can be reached at 910-862-4163 or [email protected].