Parents are often heard saying that their main hope for their children is that they will be happy and healthy. As much as it pains a parent to see their child unhappy, learning how to manage difficult experiences is a part of growing up. All children experience unhappy times, but the way a child processes adversity can vary greatly from one child to the next. For some children, managing unexpected or difficult situations can trigger what is called a behavioral health crisis. The National Alliance on Mental Illness defines a behavioral health crisis as “any situation in which a person’s behavior puts them at risk of hurting themselves or others and prevents them from being able to care for themselves or function.”
A child who is experiencing a behavioral health crisis will be feeling a combination of emotions, such as fear, frustration, anger, extreme sadness, confusion, and wariness. They may yell, scream, kick, cry, run, throw tantrums, hit, self-harm, and more. Family members can be at a loss to know how to help their child. Fortunately, for the families in and around Fuquay-Varina, there is help, and hope, in the form of The Hope Center for Youth and Family Crisis.
The Hope Center offers behavioral health services to children and youth in Wake, Durham, Johnston, Cumberland, and Orange Counties. The services provided are imperative in fighting what the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services calls a “mental health crisis.” According to the department’s NC School Behavioral Health Action Plan, approximately 25 percent of children under the age of 10 experience a behavioral health need and about half of youth with mental health disorders do not receive necessary care. The Hope Center provides services to help not only the child in need, but the family unit as well.
The Hope Center, originally a general hospital, was renovated and is maintained by Alliance Health and staffed by KidsPeace, a leader in behavioral health services for youth for more than 140 years. The facility houses a behavioral crisis urgent care, a mobile outreach response program, and a soon-to-be-licensed, 16-bed unit for patients needing extended care.
In the short time The Hope Center has been operating, they have had a positive impact on the community. One parent of a patient writes, “Special thank you to the staff for the care and compassion they showed to our little family last night. Our daughter slept with me and slept in this morning. We are looking forward to taking the next steps to help her feel strong on the inside as well as the outside.”
The staff at The Hope Center provide individualized care that helps the child and the family in moving forward. They accomplish this through three significant programs.
Mobile Outreach Response Engagement Stabilization (MORES)
The Mobile Outreach Response Engagement Stabilization (MORES) service is available to any family with a child, ages 3 to 20 years, experiencing a behavioral health crisis. A mobile unit, which includes licensed counselors and trained staff can be at your home within one hour of being called. They work with the child to de-escalate the situation and provide continuing care and resources for the family. Follow-up care can continue for up to eight weeks, depending on insurance. They can even provide information on insurance that covers behavioral health issues.
“One of the unique aspects of the MORES team is the inclusion of Family Partners,” explained Michele Chassner, NC Regional Customer Relations Liaison for The Hope Center. “Family Partners are all parents of a child with behavioral health concerns. They have personal experience and are trained to help the family members through the crisis.”
The Hope Center staff have been working with area emergency responders to provide much-needed help when encountering youth in crisis. Chief Brandon Medina, Fuquay-Varina Police Department, states, “The Hope Center has been a real asset to our local community by linking kids in our community in need of mental and behavioral health concerns. Rather than being evaluated at one facility and then transferred to another facility for treatment, The Hope Center has been able to provide immediate assistance, especially to those experiencing a crisis.”
In its first year of providing critically needed services to youth, The Hope Center’s mobile outreach response team has helped more than 120 children and families.
Behavioral Health Urgent Care
In addition to providing in-home services, families can bring their child to the behavioral health urgent care (BHUC) located at The Hope Center. Like an urgent care for physical injuries and illness, the BHUC offers immediate care for children. Unlike other urgent cares, the BHUC offers services tailored to children and youth experiencing behavioral health crises. Children are seen in an environment that is less clinical and more conducive to calming activities and specialized therapy. Inspirational quotes on the walls, soft paint colors, and a capable, highly trained staff combine to provide a safe, comforting environment.
Patients ages 5 to 20 can be taken to the urgent care, located at 400 W. Ransom Street in Fuquay-Varina, for evaluation, care, and resources. The urgent care is staffed by licensed clinical mental health professionals and support staff 24 hours a day. Patients can stay for up to 23 hours and 59 minutes, if needed.
Providing urgent care services to children experiencing a behavioral health crisis has numerous benefits. Children are seen by staff who are trained to help in an environment designed to minimize trauma. Unfortunately, many children experiencing behavioral health crisis are taken to the emergency room, where the long wait times and lack of resources for this kind of situation can worsen the problem. Utilizing the BHUC instead of taking your child to the emergency room will ensure your child receives appropriate care in a timely manner and alleviates additional trauma to the child and family. Additionally, the cost of taking your child to the ER is more than double that of the urgent care.
Tammy Margeson, LCMHC, LCAS, CCS, The Hope Center Program Director, said, “Taking a child to the ER for a behavioral health crisis is like taking a computer to a car mechanic. The Hope Center offers specialized services for any level of crisis, and all services are family-centered to get to the root of the problem.”
The staff at The Hope Center never use seclusion or restraint tactics. The facility offers “Oasis Rooms” with colorful mats, sensory toys, white boards, and encased televisions. The center also has an outdoor area with rubber flooring, games, and a basketball court. Margeson says, “You would be amazed how much therapy can get done playing basketball.”
Facility-based Crisis Unit
By February 2024, The Hope Center will open a 16-bed facility-based crisis (FBC) unit, one of only three in the state dedicated to serving children. The licensing process is underway, and the facility is near completion. Each private room is decorated in soft colors and an animal theme with a white board for the kids to customize. The bedrooms open onto a common area with a nurses’ station, game tables, mats, and age-appropriate toys. The ratio of children to trained staff is 3 to 1, 24 hours a day. The unit also has 24-hour security staff. Children and youth, ages 6 to 17, must be referred to the FBC from a physician and can stay in the FBC for up to two weeks.
The FBC will provide comprehensive therapy and treatment services to children in an appropriate environment. This much-needed facility will also help alleviate the number of youths in emergency room beds waiting for days or more to be placed in a facility with staff that are trained to help them. The FBC’s multidisciplinary team provides a full spectrum of services to support the child and family both during in-patient care and after discharge.
The mental health of children directly affects the future of our world. The need for behavioral health services is increasing and The Hope Center is strategically placed to provide care in a previously underserved area. Children, more than ever, are experiencing increased mental strain due to home situations, access to 24-hour news, the influence of social media, and isolation from Covid shut-downs. Some children struggle with their feelings, which may lead to a behavioral health crisis. The Hope Center for Youth and Family Crisis offers licensed and trained staff, proven treatment strategies, and a safe environment for families in need.
