Behavioral Health Crisis Stabilization Center Services

The Vendor is required to provide behavioral health service providers regarding the development and implementation of a behavioral health crisis stabilization center (BHCSC). 
- Crisis continuum currently includes services such as a 24/7 local hotline, a 911 call center clinician, and mobile crisis teams that can be dispatched across the county.
- The substance abuse and mental health services administration (SAMHSA)’s national guidelines for behavioral health crisis care lists three foundational elements that are essential within a crisis care system: someone to contact, someone to respond, and a safe place for help.
- Individuals receive support from a multidisciplinary team of medical and behavioral health professionals and peer recovery specialists.
- Review of Current Crisis Response System and Substance Use Disorder (SUD) services (Current State) - Conduct a comprehensive review of the current crisis response system and SUD services in Baltimore County, inclusive of utilization data across all crisis services, and current and pending state regulations regarding crisis services in state, crisis service accreditation standards, detox and SUD treatment bed capacity
- Employ the capacity to assess physical health needs and deliver care for most minor physical health challenges with an identified pathway in order to transfer the individual to more medically staffed services if needed.
- Screen for suicide risk and complete comprehensive suicide risk assessments and planning when clinically indicated.
- Screen for violence risk and complete more comprehensive violence risk assessments and planning when clinically indicated
- Best Practices to Operate Crisis Receiving and Stabilization Services - To fully align with best practice guidelines, centers must meet the minimum expectations and:
•    Function as a 24 hour or less crisis receiving and stabilization facility.
•    Offer a dedicated first responder drop-off area.
•    Incorporate some form of intensive support beds into a partner program (could be within the services’ own program or within another provider) to support flow for individuals who need additional support.
•    Include beds within the real-time regional bed registry system operated by the crisis call center hub to support efficient connection to needed resources.
•    Coordinate connection to ongoing care.
- 988 crisis call operations serving the community.
- The future state diagram that follows shows how the addition of a behavioral health crisis stabilization center can shift individuals away from psychiatric boarding in hospital emergency departments and also reduce the number of individuals in crisis who are engaged by the criminal justice system when a viable pre-booking diversion to best-practice crisis care becomes available.

- Contract Period/Term: 4 years
- Questions/Inquires Deadline: December 1, 2025