When an individual is in crisis, having quick and easy access to a continuum of crisis services is important. That’s exactly what a recent merging of adult crisis services between Wyandot Center and RSI hopes to accomplish.
“We want people to know that they can walk in to 47th Street and, regardless of what their needs are, their needs are going to be met,” says Christine Swenson, Executive Director of Wyandot Center. “It’s that idea of ‘no wrong door.’”
RSI is a subsidiary of Wyandot Center and part of the Wyandot Behavioral Health Network family of organizations. In 2018, RSI moved from its previous location near The University of Kansas Hospital to its current location at 1301 North 47th street, adjacent to Wyandot Center. Now, three years later, Swenson says the time is right to integrate the crisis services provided by Wyandot Center and RSI.
The integration of services has not resulted in any changes to how services are accessed. Rather, the hope is that this integration of services will eliminate some confusion.
“People often ask me when it would be appropriate to refer someone to RSI versus when it would be appropriate to refer someone to the crisis clinic,” says Swenson. “The goal of this integration is to be able to just say ‘send them and we’ll get them where they need to go.’”
“Clients won’t have to retell their story. It will be more trauma-informed and person-centered.”
In addition to eliminating the confusion for referrals from community partners and law enforcement officials, Swenson and Paula Wright, Manager for Crisis & Access, hope that this integration will create a more seamless experience for individuals in crisis.
“We’re trying to make smoother transitions between crisis services,” says Wright. “We’ll have more opportunities to help meet people’s needs because we have a larger group of people working together to serve the community.”
One major goal of the integration of services is to enhance Wyandot Center and RSI’s ability to provide a safe and trauma-informed environment for individuals in crisis.
“This integration helps us make sure everyone gets the same information,” says Reshonda Stubelfield, Manager of Operations of RSI. “Clients won’t have to retell their story. It will be more trauma-informed and person-centered.”
This integration of services began in the early weeks of 2021 and is still ongoing. As managers and staff navigate this change, Swenson and Wright say they’ve found an added benefit. Staff in the crisis clinic have developed a better understanding of what RSI does and vice versa. They say it’s helping to improve service delivery.
“The services are integrated, but we’re also integrated as a team,” says Swenson. “We have shared values and we are supporting one another.”