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G'morn, Caroline. Thank you for the interesting question.
Our facility houses the regional suicide prevention team. The Crisis Center is staffed 24/7/365 with trained Crisis Techs who have rapid access to many different services. My desk is in the middle of the unit, and I staff clients who come in or are brought to the center during business hours with the Crisis Techs.
After I leave, the Crisis Techs have access to the on-call psychiatrists and medical doctors, as well as to administrators when they need help with clients presenting for services. Once a client is staffed, the team has access to Social Workers, AODA Counselors and SAC-ITs, and more.
Most of our Crisis Techs are Bachelors-prepared specialists with backgrounds in social work, psychology, or healthcare. They receive ongoing training and education as part of the team.
The team approach works well for our clients, and we're able to triage clients more effectively. I can admit them to inpatient if necessary, send them on to an ED for medical clearance or treatment, or direct them to one of our other services. Clients may have outpatient appointments set up for them, may be offered an AODA consult, or may even be admitted to our CBRF if we determine that's best.
I would encourage you to develop an admissions team – I believe that that is the best way to service clients and community partners.