April 20, 2022

This paid piece is sponsored by Avera.

Avera has opened the doors to Behavioral Health Urgent Care – a new and different setting specially designed for individuals and families in crisis.

“Behavioral Health Urgent Care is a new ‘front door’ to mental health services for people in crisis,” said Thomas Otten, assistant vice president for the Avera Behavioral Health Hospital. “This level of care is extremely rare in the region and across the country.”

It’s open 24/7 at the new Helmsley Behavioral Health Center, the newly constructed wing of the Avera Behavioral Health Center on West 69th Street. The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust supported construction of the $28 million wing with $13 million in grant and matching funds.

In the past, families and individuals have turned to medical emergency rooms at times of crisis, for example, suicidal thoughts. People outside of Sioux Falls are still encouraged to go to their nearest ER.

While medical emergency room staff can help in a mental health crisis, they mostly are set up to handle medical emergencies such as chest pain, shortness of breath, stroke symptoms, serious injury or severe allergic reactions.

Designed for behavioral health needs

Behavioral Health Urgent Care has a different look and feel that’s designed around these specific needs.

“We traveled to other locations, and it was difficult to find anything exactly like what we’re offering here in Sioux Falls. We developed our Urgent Care based on the needs we’ve experienced over the past six decades as a leader in behavioral health services,” Otten said.

When patients come in, there’s a waiting area and registration, which function like a typical urgent care.

Patients go to a private room where a nurse determines if they have any pressing medical needs. An advanced practice provider, or APP, is available 24/7.

A procedure room is available for needs such as minor suturing. However, if someone has overdosed or taken severe measures to harm themselves, they need to be transported to the Emergency Department at Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center.

Patients are seen by an assessment counselor who completes a level-of-care assessment. The goal for Urgent Care is to safely handle the crisis and then refer patients and families to the most appropriate and best level of behavioral health care. This may mean inpatient admission or referral to outpatient community resources.

Observation is a new level of care

Behavioral Health Urgent Care adds observation care, a level of care that wasn’t previously available.

“People in crisis might not need a 24-hour stay – they may just need some time to stabilize,” Otten said. This area provides recliner chairs as well as a separate room for pediatric patients.

As they are resting in observation, nurses and behavioral health techs work with patients on key information via iPads. This includes a safety plan, so they know what to do if they reach a point of crisis again.

It’s important for people to understand that Urgent Care is not for prescribing or changes of behavioral health medications.

“When someone is struggling with a mental health crisis, they need a full evaluation. For a provider to prescribe a new or different medication at a one-time urgent care appointment is not best practice; our goal is to get them set up with the next level of care,” Otten said.

Navigation services

Thanks to grant funding to expand its navigation program, Avera Behavioral Health is able to offer more extensive navigation services to help bridge the time between Urgent Care and an appointment with a psychiatrist and counselor, and to help ensure patients get connected to services.

Urgent Care replaces Avera Behavioral Health’s current assessment program, with the big difference of having an APP present.

“We do 7,000 assessments a year, and Urgent Care is now the center for this service,” Otten said. Because the assessment is comprehensive with 24/7 medical services available, it is now a billed service. As most patients will be admitted or receive outpatient services, this won’t impact the out-of-pocket costs the majority of patients would see for a mental health event.

Behavioral Health Urgent Care opened at the end of March.

“With a highly experienced team, we were able to hit the ground running and can already see that this service will make a huge impact and be a vital resource in our community,” Otten said. “We’re continuing to add to the continuum of mental health services to help people find hope for a better life.”

Contact Behavioral Health navigators at 605-322-5142 if you have questions about behavioral health services or call 800-691-4336 if you are seeking services at Behavioral Health Urgent Care, including assessment.

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