Community Stabilization Services

If you are experiencing a behavioral health crisis and need short-term assessment, crisis intervention, and care coordination (and if you meet the criteria listed below), Community Stabilization services are for you. In this program you may receive:

• Assessment of mental, physical, and behavioral needs,
• Brief therapeutic and skill-building interventions,
• Help identifying and activating your existing support systems, and
• Coordination of follow-up services.

The point of Community Stabilization services is to help you figure out what you need to become stable, what resources (in the community AND in your natural, existing support system) are available to help you get there, and then to make a warm transfer—getting you access to those resources as smoothly as possible.

Community Stabilization Service Goals

The goal of Community Stabilization services is to stabilize you within your community, and support you (and your existing support system) during the following situations:

1. Between a Mobile Crisis Response and your entry into the appropriate follow-up service (if that appropriate level of care is identified but not immediately available),
2. As a transition or “step-down” from a higher level of care, if the next level of care is identified but not immediately available, or
3. As an alternative to a higher level of care.

To qualify for this service, you must meet the following criteria:

 You have a primary mental health and/or substance use disorder diagnosis

1. 1. You are currently at risk of getting stuck in a loop of crisis services OR of a dangerous decline in functioning, to the point that additional help is needed to prevent hospitalization, and
   2. Prior to admission, you must meet one of the following criteria: EITHER You are residing in a Therapeutic Group Home or Substance Use Disorder Inpatient Treatment Facility, OR you need Community Stabilization as a transition to other long term support services.

To qualify for Community Stabilization, you must be stepping down or transitioning from one of the following services:

1. 23-Hour Crisis Stabilization
2. Acute Psychiatric Inpatient Services
3. ASAM levels 3.1 – 4.0
4. Hospital Emergency Department
5. Short-term detention or incarceration
6. Mobile Crisis Response
7. Partial Hospitalization Program (Mental Health or ARTS)
8. Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility
9. Residential Crisis Stabilization Unit

Exclusionary Criteria

If you meet any of the following criteria, you are not eligible to receive Community Stabilization services.

1. You are currently receiving behavioral health services (mental health services / substance use disorder services) at a higher level of care than standard outpatient services (unless your MCO or FFS contractor approves an exception for you.)
2. You are receiving inpatient or certain residential treatment services, including psychiatric residential treatment facility (PRTF) or ASAM levels 3.3—4.0 (unless your MCO or FFS contractor approves an exception for you.)
3. Your psychiatric condition is severe enough that it cannot be safely treated at this level of care.
4. Your medical condition is severe enough that it need to be treated in an acute medical setting.