Mobile crisis team coming to Seneca Co.

Seneca County Sheriff Fred Stevens introduced the Mobile Crisis Response Team at the commissioners' meeting Thursday, a mobile unit meant to respond to emergency situations involving a mental health crisis. After providing an overview and his full support, Stevens turned the discussion over to David Olds, the coordinator of Crisis Intervention Team and Mobile Crisis Response Team of NAMI. Olds was Police Chief of Upper Sandusky prior to retiring. He said Critical Incident Stress Management has a service for six different counties that provides guided discussion following a critical incident. The service is provided to law enforcement, emergency services, businesses and schools. "It helps to lessen stress, but it is not a replacement for therapy or counseling," Olds said. Stevens said Critical Incident Stress Management services were used following the plane crash near Fostoria several emergency services dealt with in February. Crisis Intervention Team focuses on a community response to helping people in a mental health crisis. It provides training to law enforcement and other emergency responders to safely redirect people in crisis. Stevens said prior to leaving his former position as Tiffin Police chief, he had all of his staff receive training and become CIT certified. At this time, he is working on the same standard for the Sheriff's Department staff. The aforementioned programs go hand in hand with the Mobile Crisis Response Team, which is currently available in Sandusky County. The team helps law enforcement, EMS, fire and other personnel handle mental health situations. The team assists with deescalation, stabilization and transportation for individuals in crisis. The use of the team allows situations involving mental health to end in a safer, more productive way, Stevens said. He said it also keeps everyone safe without allowing for situations to worsen through deescalation. One member of the team is called a Navigator and they provide long-term help to individuals, whether it be guiding them in the right direction when it comes to doctors, psychiatrists, food banks, clothing or transportation. This helps to reduce the number of times the same person calls or causes an issue, Olds said. "We reduce the time first responders spend at a scene," Olds said. "If we feel comfortable in a situation, we can dismiss law enforcement. We also reduce time spent at local hospitals. We contract with bigger hospitals and psychiatric units around the area. Normally we spend 4–12 hours in a local hospital, getting things set up and arranged." NAMI also conducts welfare checks for Firelands, Fostoria Community Hospital and ProMedica Hospital instead of law enforcement. The Mobile Crisis Response Team is set to expand to Seneca, Ottawa and Wyandot counties on July 1. "This is a unique program in Ohio, especially for rural communities," said NAMI of Seneca, Sandusky and Wyandot counties Executive Director Melanie White. "This is the single most extensive project we have worked on since I've been here," said Mircea Handru, Executive Director of the Mental Health and Recovery Services Board of Seneca, Sandusky, Ottawa and Wyandot counties. "It's exciting to hear that this is something unique to our area. We need to continue to get the word out. This (Mobile Crisis Response Team) really ties everything together," said Commissioner Anthony Paradiso.