The Virtual Crisis Care program continues to expand its reach across South Dakota.
The program helps police who are responding to mental health problems by giving them access to behavioral health professionals around the clock who help with de-escalation during the crisis. The program also gives individuals access to mental health resources for follow-up care.
Doug Duskin is CEO of Avel eCare. That’s the company behind the program.
He said giving people across the state access to behavior health services is important to the company.
“No matter where a person lives they should be able to receive the highest quality of care and received in and have the best level of outcomes," said Duskin.
The program currently covers two-thirds of South Dakota.
Brian Erickson, vice president of Avel eCare, hopes the program will continue to destigmatize mental health.
"We want to really insist really assist in the matter of not contribute to the criminalization of mental health. Can we support where they're at, and when in their time of need, and really not get them into that judicial system, or even go to emergency department where we see health care costs go up," said Erickson.
Developers say the program keeps 80% of people experiencing a mental health crisis at home.
The program has also been implemented at South Dakota State University.