One of the comments we hear in the community is, “Mental health programming is always full.” For many years, we have seen an uptick in mental health needs, so, understandably, people have a perception that mental health services are hard to come by. On the bright side, that’s not true at PrairieCare.
Demand for mental health services tends to go up and down throughout the year, so seasonality makes a difference in availability. For example, families tend to avoid seeking care in the summer. So when the school year starts, we may see an influx of teenagers who need a higher level of care based on untreated symptoms that have gotten worse in the months prior.
Or, someone may seek care but be declined based on the criteria of the specific program. Although the program isn’t full, the patient may be a better fit for a different program or specialty. This could also contribute to the perception that there is no availability.
In this article, we break down how potential patients access services at PrairieCare, how our waitlists work, criteria that can exclude a patient from a program, and how to get support along the way.
Getting Services at PrairieCare
The two biggest ways patients enter treatment at PrairieCare are through a referral and via our no-cost mental health screening. The first is driven by a professional source and the other by the patient. This is the first step in someone getting services.
Professional Referrals
We have strong relationships with our community partners, who can identify people they work with who needs mental health services. Whether the referring professional is a school social worker, a primary care provider, or another therapist looking for a higher level of care, they can connect their client to our programs.
Referents can call our team at 952-826-8475 to make a referral by phone, check availability, and have their questions answered. They can also use our online form any time of day to refer a patient and connect with our team.
No-Cost Mental Health Screening
Community members can start programming by contacting our team directly. PrairieCare offers a no-cost mental health screening to anyone seeking services, to ensure that cost and access to medical care aren’t a barrier to finding support.
Our screening consists of a brief phone screening to determine what level of care is best for the caller. It is a great resource because it helps people spend less time finding care, save money, and assess for immediate care needs that could truly be life–saving.
Here are a few pieces that are included in the assessment:
- An understanding of why a person may need care
- An evaluation of their symptoms and safety
- Summary of medical, physical, and medication history
- Current and historical mental health treatment
- Social history such as where they live, family and guardianship, social supports, sexual health/history, education, vocational status/history, and legal history.
Anyone can get a no-cost screening by calling 952-826-8475 or filling out a request form. If you are a helping professional, you can also give your clients this resource to help them connect to mental health services on their terms.
Starting Programming and Waitlists
The timeline for starting services can differ after someone is accepted into a program, whether through a referral or mental health screening. For the most part, if someone is accepted into a program and there are openings, they could start almost immediately. If the program is full, the patient will be placed on a waitlist until a current patient is discharged from the program.
If someone is placed on a waitlist, we do our best to clarify a timeline for the patient and their family. Staff members at the waitlisted location will call the patient and give them information on what to expect. If the wait is longer than anticipated, we will continue to check in with the patient or family to answer any questions.
Our team continuously tracks when a spot may open for a patient on the waitlist. When it does open, our team contacts the patient three times over three days to maximize our chances of connecting. If no one is reached, the spot goes to the next person on the waitlist.
Reasons Why Someone May Be Declined from Programming
Our team thoroughly considers each person’s needs. Because our programs are designed to serve specific symptoms and acuity levels, we carefully consider each potential patient to ensure that we have the appropriate services for them.
Here are some reasons someone may be declined from programming across our services:
- Active substance use concerns (requiring detox)
- Deferred to an emergency department—the patient is too acute or has physical health concerns
- Medical concerns that we can’t manage, such as seizures, uncontrolled diabetes, etc.
- A pending discharge from a different program
- A diagnosis that interferes with treatment, such as active psychosis, etc.
- Insurance barriers
- Intellectual/developmental conditions such as autism, para support needs, etc.
- Legal reasons, including sexual perpetuation, assault charges, probation concerns, etc.
- Recent externalizing behaviors, such as aggression toward peers, elopement, property destruction, etc.
- Not enough referral information or access to additional clinical information
Our team is constantly looking for ways to accommodate more patients and meet the needs of our community. We have a close pulse on changes in mental healthcare and do our best to support as many Minnesotans as possible to get the care they need and deserve.
Next Steps If Someone Is Declined
We understand that it’s not ideal when someone is declined from a program, but it can often point that person in the right direction—toward treatment that will be a better fit.
To ensure people are getting connected to care, we follow up in these ways:
- After a mental health screening, the therapist who does the admission diagnostic assessment will notify the caller of their recommended level of care. If the recommended program is not a PrairieCare program, the therapist will provide the caller with the resources they need to connect.
- If another organization or provider referred a patient, we will contact the referent and explain why the patient was declined. The provider will be responsible for locating an alternative resource for the patient.
Connect with Our Experts for Help
Potential or current patients, families, and helping professionals can contact our team at 952-826-8475 for support. Our team is highly trained and passionate about supporting people to access mental health services. Whether you have questions about program availability or are looking for community resources, we are here to help.
You can get started in therapy by requesting a no-cost mental health screening. Simply fill out our request form and within one business day, a team member will contact you to complete the assessment—with no strings attached.
Resources for Referring Professionals
Our Admissions Department is always here to answer questions, learn about availability, and make a referral by phone. Call our team at 952-826-8475, and we will help you connect your patient to the care they need.
We also offer the following free resources for referring professionals:
- Mental Health Collaboration Hub (MHCH) is a secure online portal that helps connect youth in psychiatric or boarding situations, such as an emergency department, to safe and healing treatment. Any professional in Minnesota can join to ensure youth are placed in programs that support their needs.
- Psychiatric Assistance Line (PAL) is a service that connects healthcare professionals with a Board Certified Child and Adolescent psychiatrist regarding a patient. During the week, professionals can call 855-431-6468 to access mental health triage or referral support.
Professionals looking to connect their patients to care or seeking mental health resources can always visit our referent page.
Referral Details for Professionals
To ensure we can understand your patient’s needs, please include the required information and further details that will help us understand their situation. Providing us with as much information as possible gives your patients a higher chance of being accepted into the program.
You can use our online referral form or refer by phone at 952-826-8475. The information you are required to include depends on the program.
IOP/PHP:
- Diagnostic assessment from last year
- Therapy or psychiatry progress notes
- Name and contact information of the patient’s parent/guardian(s)
- Insurance information
Residential:
- Letter from a mental health professional recommending residential placement
- Diagnostic assessment from the last six months
- Last month of therapy and psychiatry notes
- Name and contact information of the patient’s parent/guardian(s)
- Insurance information
- Any medical or dietary information
You can also verify the information you must include with our team by calling 952-826-8475.
About PrairieCare
At PrairieCare, we believe that mental illness is real, common, and treatable. We provide individuals of all ages with the psychiatric care they truly need. PrairieCare is one of the nation’s largest providers of premier psychiatric services to the Twin Cities metro area, Rochester, and Mankato. Our programs and services span the full continuum of care, with the understanding that each patient has unique experiences, life stages, and needs.
Whether a young adult is experiencing anxiety in college or a teenager needs support for an eating disorder, our clinicians are accredited and highly experienced in supporting patients of all ages with a wide variety of diagnoses.