Crisis Navigators is a cooperative effort by members the Behavioral Health Consortium to provide coordinated behavioral health services for residents in Platte, Colfax, Boone and Nance counties in Nebraska. Services are available in both English and Spanish.

Members of the Behavioral Health Consortium include: Columbus Community Hospital, Columbus Police Department, Rainbow Center, Catholic Charities, Family Psychiatric Services, East-Central District Health Department and Lutheran Family Services

History

The Behavioral Health Consortium is a group of professionals located in Columbus, Nebraska, that was formed to address the issues surrounding the inadequacy of the system in dealing with behavioral health (both mental health and substance abuse) issues. The consortium was originally made up of representatives from the Columbus medical community, the East Central District Health Department, Columbus Community Hospital, local law enforcement and Rainbow Center, Inc. The group has expanded and welcomes new members. After a series of meetings, the consortium concluded that the need for crisis management was the highest priority in the area. The consortium requested that Rainbow Center become the lead agency.

Crisis Navigators, the crisis management program developed by the consortium, covers a four-county area that lie on the southernmost border of Region 4. According to the 2000 census figures, these four counties have a combined population of 52,400, or 24% of the total population of Region 4.

Goals

The consortium is able to provide crisis management services by bringing together area behavioral health professionals. Our one-point entry system for individuals in crisis allows us to provide crisis management services in a much more effective and efficient manner, thus lowering the number of persons being placed in emergency protective custody (EPC). We also provide continuing support services to persons being released from inpatient care back into the community, breaking the cycle of need for EPC.

Further goals of Crisis Navigators are to provide the following:

• Referral to the most appropriate, least restrictive service that can address the individual’s needs
• Early intervention that is designed to help prevent unnecessary hospitalizations
• Increased community service capacity to special populations, including minorities
• Decreased commitments to the regional centers
• Promotion of successful community intervention, along with continued, effective aftercare case coordination

How Crisis Navigators can help you

Concerned about your widowed father’s ability to cope with the depression that often follows loss? Under so much stress within your marriage that you think the only answer is to give up? Crisis Navigators can help. Crisis Navigators is a 24-hour, 7-day-a-week behavioral health hotline staffed by professionals. Your call will always be answered by a trained person who will ask the right questions and direct you to the help you need. Services are offered in both English and Spanish.

Behavioral health issues can include alcohol and substance abuse, as well as mental health. The crisis line can be used by anyone with behavioral health issues—someone looking for help for him/herself, a friend or a relative, as well as professionals and providers. You can also use this line to find behavioral health information.

When you call, you will talk to a Family Health Navigator who will listen to the problem and assist you in deciding what kind of help you need. The Family Health Navigators know what services are available in the area and who provides them. They will connect you with the best organization or person to meet your needs.

The service is a community-wide effort directed by the Behavioral Health Consortium. Members of the consortium include Columbus Community Hospital, Columbus Police Department, Rainbow Center, Catholic Charities, Family Psychiatric Services, East Central District Health Department and Lutheran Family Services. These organizations provide the help or refer people to the agencies that can help them.

The service is available to everyone in Platte, Colfax, Boone and Nance Counties.