First Call for Help of Itasca County

Call center: during the 2022 year our agency received 2883 calls into our Call center from residents of the 7 County 2-1-1 hub area of which we serve. This resulted in providing 3,247 resources to those residents in need and fielding 27,927 crisis calls. We answered 10,241 calls for 9-8-8 and 100 calls for mndoa. We conducted 503 coordinated entry services for homeless individuals, 39 mnsure/assist applications, and maintained a resource data base of 2940 agencies containing information regarding assistance available, qualifications to receive services and contact information to access these services. Our Call center services 7 counties for i&r, 37 counties for crisis response dispach, 3 counties for after hours social services, 2 counties for homeless coordination, 47 counties in primary response and 87 counties secondary response for nspl (9-8-8) and 87 counties for farmers in distress. In 2022 we began the build for the provision of 988 text and chat response, no services rendered at this point.

Crisis intervention: in 2022 the First Call for Help crisis team operated 24/7/365 with 24 mhp staff who responded to 3782 mental health calls to residents of Itasca County. Year end accomplishments include conducting 245 face to face mental health assessments, 270 crisis interventions, 601 phone assessments, 944 resourcing/care coordintion services, and 1522 stabilization contacts for individuals in crisis. We provided crisis services and facilitated care to 84 individuals who were not the financial responsibility of Itasca County but were located within our County when they required services. We facilitated referrals to mnsure for 27 individuals who were not insured and received assessments by our team. We facilitated behavioral unit placements for 85 individuals and crisis placements for 112 in efforts to avoid hospitalizations.

New leaf healing center: during 2022 our agency continued the provision of crisis residential services (opened in 2017) from within the nlhc, in efforts to avoid behavioral health placements. We served 208 consumers (guests). 75% of the crisis residents were from Itasca County, 5% reported homelessness. 97% of the residents avoided hospitlization due to the crisis services provided at new leaf. 97% of the residents were connected with med management, therapy, chemical health services and or physical health services prior to discharge. 4% of the residents (homeless upon entry) were discharged to safe shelters or housing locations upon achieving stability of their mental health.