June 2, 2022 – Mental health services for children are expanding in western Utah with an innovative mobile and telehealth program that brings stabilization services and follow-up visits directly to the family’s home, free of charge.
In-person Stabilization Mobile Response (SMR) is expanding to urban and rural counties in Utah’s western region, including Wasatch, Utah, and Juab counties, as part of a partnership with Utah Department of Health and Human Services and Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital.
Wayne, Piute, Severe, Millard and Sanpete counties also will receive Stabilization Mobile Response services via telehealth.
The program aims to engage a child’s natural support system during a mental health challenge and keep them in their homes, whenever possible. SMR is now available in 15 of 29 counties statewide.
Intermountain Healthcare’s hospital emergency departments have seen a 300+ percent increase in pediatric mental health crises over the past 10 years, and an estimated 40 percent of kids who have depression are not getting care, said Katy Welkie, RN, MBA, chief executive officer of Primary Children’s Hospital and vice president of Intermountain Children’s Health.
In Utah, suicide is a leading cause of death among children ages 10-17 years old.
Stabilization Mobile Response is designed to help families in several circumstances, be it a toddler having a two-hour tantrum, or a teen who wrote a suicidal note.
In such cases, a parent or guardian can call 1-833-SAFE FAM for help. A trained professional will answer the call, help the family with de-escalation, and determine services that best fit the family’s needs.
When appropriate, a Stabilization Mobile Response team of behavioral health specialists comes to the home. The team conducts an assessment by talking with the child and the parents and creates a support plan.
In cases when families face compounded stressors and barriers to treatment, stabilization services continue for up to eight weeks. This includes home visits, coaching, therapy, skill-building, and connecting to other resources when appropriate.
SMR has been expanding in Utah for several years. Davis Behavioral Health premiered the service in the northern region, which includes Box Elder, Cache, Davis, Rich, Morgan and Weber counties, in 2017.
Supported by a grant from Intermountain Foundation, SMR expanded to Salt Lake County in 2020 in a partnership with the Utah Department of Health and Human services and Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital. Leaders hope to be able to further expand the program in the future.