Access Center

Access Centers are designed to provide immediate short – term assessments for people in a mental health or substance abuse crisis.  This is for individuals who do not need an inpatient hospitalization, however are not able to be treated on an outpatient basis either.  Within an Access Center patients will be immediately assessed for medical, mental health and substance abuse related disorders.  The patient and staff will together work on a plan for next steps that make sense.  A patient’s stay at the Access Center will vary from a few hours to a few days and is designed to stabilize and return the patient to their community as soon as possible.

SIMHC offers a Crisis Stabilization unit for patients that find themselves in a mental health or substance abuse crisis and do not need an Emergency Room.  Patients are able to stay in Crisis Stabilization for a few hours or a few days depending on the nature of their crisis and their unique days. During their stay, the patient will work through the mental health or substance abuse crisis, follow up with medication prescribers as applicable and develop a Wellness Recovery Action Plan.  At discharge staff will make necessary follow up appointments with mental health providers, so care can continue. This stay is available at no charge to the patient. Crisis Stabilization services can be delivered in a residential setting (at the Access Center) or in a patient’s home.

Call 1-844-430-8520 for more information regarding Crisis Stabilization, phones are answered 24 hours a day.

A Mobile Crisis Team (MCT) is a team of mental health professionals that are available to arrive on the scene of a mental health crisis to work with the patient in a mental health or substance abuse crisis.  If a patient finds themselves in a mental health or substance abuse crisis and the next steps are unclear, they can possibly consider the MCT as an option to help work through solutions. The MCT is available to respond in a person’s home, in a provider’s office, at school or anywhere in the community. The MCT is available to children, adolescents and adults.  The MCT is only available to respond in the following counties: Wapello, Mahaska, and Davis. The request the MCT be dispatched call: 1-844-430-8520. This service is available at no cost to anyone and phones are answered 24 hours a day.

It is common for people who are experiencing a mental health crisis to also have a co – occurring substance abuse disorder. Within the Access Center a patient may receive an evaluation for substance abuse treatment if the staff and patient agree. The Access Center employs Certified Drug & Alcohol Counselors that are able to do this type of evaluation. After the evaluation is complete, staff will work with the patient to set up next steps if treatment is recommended

Sub Acute for Mental Health services are short – term, intensive, recovery – oriented services designed to stabilize an individual who is experiencing a decreased level of functioning due to a mental health condition. SIMHC offers sub acute for mental health services within our Access Center, please contact the office to ask about a prescreen form.

Service Limitations: The Access Center is unable to serve those patients that are experiencing a life threatening medical condition, require inpatient psychiatric care, are in a need of medically monitored detoxification services or who are aged 17 and below.