Sponsor: Social Services
Title
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Ramsey County Mobile Crisis Services
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Recommendation
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Approve the use of the Minnesota Department of Human Services Mental Health Crisis Grant funds to pay for self-pay mental health crisis services.
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Background and Rationale
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Ramsey County is committed to providing accessible mental health and crisis support to community. In early 2024, staff worked with the news media on a data request regarding our mobile crisis support and how Ramsey County billed for services. The Social Services Department (SSD) made some immediate changes such as inserting sliding scale information into all invoices and adding information to our website. They also have spent time over the last few months reviewing our mental health crisis fees, working with the state, gathering data, and reviewing best practices from jurisdictions that offer similar services. On November 12, 2024, SSD presented a workshop to the Ramsey County Board that provided information on the entire mental health ecosystem, highlighted our role within the system, discussed our mental health crisis services and the Mental Health Crisis Grant and recommended the action that is before you today.
Mental health parity is essential to ensuring people in our community receive the services they need. Ramsey County is committed to this and to making sure services are accessible to all while also being good stewards of taxpayer dollars. SSD staff recommend using the Mental Health Crisis Grant funds to pay for services provided to underinsured and uninsured individuals receiving care, thus ensuring that no self-pay clients receive a bill or are dissuaded from seeking essential care. This would become effective immediately on November 20, 2024, if approved by the board.
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County Goals (Check those advanced by Action)
☒ Well-being ☒ Prosperity ☒ Opportunity ☒ Accountability
Racial Equity Impact
African American, American Indian, and other ethnic minorities historically underutilize voluntary mental health services such as Mobile Crisis Services. Additionally, utilization of voluntary mental health services has shown to be effective in reducing the need for mandated services and downstream costs within the county system. SSD hope to promote the use of preventative mental health services and increase access to the less restrictive mental health supports in community by eliminating financial barriers.
Community Participation Level and Impact
SSD staff has heard from community the importance of access to crisis services. Decreasing barriers through eliminating financial burden will increase access and utilization of crisis services when people are most in need.
☒ Inform ☐ Consult ☐ Involve ☐ Collaborate ☐ Empower
Fiscal Impact
In 2023, SSD billed $57,226 to self-pay individuals. Of that amount, SSD received $11,872. SSD will shift the Mental Health Crisis Grant funds to cover these costs and make minor operational adjustments to cover this cost in 2025. SSD will include this change in the 2026-2027 proposed budget.
Last Previous Action
On November 12, 2024, the Social Services Department presented a workshop to the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners on Mobile Crisis Services.
Attachments
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