HENDERSON, NC, USA, October 24, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ -- First Hope Regional Crisis Recovery Center (First Hope)’s “retreat unit” has provided care to over 160 individuals in a mental health or addictions related crisis in the short time since it opened its doors. First Hope offers an alternative to overcrowded hospital emergency rooms or jails when persons in crisis have suicidal thoughts or are experiencing other emergencies. With the launch of the 988 suicide and crisis line — an alternative to 911 for mental health crisis calls —and its rollout in North Carolina, First Hope expects that the demand for services will continue to grow.

Formed through a partnership between RI International and Vaya Health, First Hope provides crisis care in Vance, Franklin, and Granville counties. “With the establishment of First Hope’s retreat unit, we are able to accept every referral in real time. We are grateful for Vaya Health’s support in making these services possible,” said Paul Galdys, RI International’s Deputy CEO.

Adults 18 years and older can stay at the First Hope retreat unit for up to 23 hours to receive urgent care including crisis stabilization for short-term crisis needs, therapeutic support, peer-led groups and connections to community resources for care after they leave the center.

Laurie Whitson, Crisis/DOJ Continuum Director of Vaya Health, said, “When a person is in crisis, help should be easy to access. First Hope offers a safe place for people to get the care they need to focus on their recovery journey. We are proud that RI International has taken this step to support and engage in the communities we serve.”

First Hope has also operated a “living room” unit since 2009, where individuals with substance use and mental health crisis can stay for three to five days. They get help through medication management, group activities, and discharge planning support with the assistance of therapists, peers, and medication providers.

Community stakeholders including first responders, law enforcement officers, emergency medical services personnel, county officials and others have lauded the availability of urgent care for behavioral health crises through First Hope.

Captain Watkins of the Vance County Sheriff's Office said, "We need this here from a law enforcement perspective. We are one of the few agencies who sit with the citizens under an involuntary commitment order until services are found."

Javier Plumber, Director of Henderson EMS, shared, "The citizens of Vance county and will be very grateful once they find out the extended services that that you perform. I think this will be real beneficial as far as EMS is concerned. We are doing a lot of community outreach for substance abuse and mental health issues."



About RI International
RI International (a member company of Five Lanes Crisis Partners) is one of the nation’s leading crisis mental health service providers. Founded as a non-profit in 1990, the organization has more than 50 recovery and crisis programs in Arizona, California, Delaware, Louisiana, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia and Washington State. The organization has been accredited by Joint Commission since 1992. RI also provides training to mental health peer support specialists and has certified 15,500 peers around the world since 2000.
riinternational.com

About Vaya Health
Vaya Health (https://www.vayahealth.com/)is a public managed care organization (MCO) that oversees Medicaid, federal, state and local funding for services and supports related to mental health, substance use disorder and intellectual/developmental disabilities. We currently operate in the following North Carolina counties: Alamance, Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Caldwell, Caswell, Chatham, Cherokee, Clay, Franklin, Graham, Granville, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Person, Polk, Rowan, Stokes, Swain, Transylvania, Vance, Watauga, Wilkes, and Yancey. Our region expanded to 31 counties when we consolidated with Cardinal Innovations Healthcare. As a political subdivision of North Carolina, we value quality, integrity and accountability.

Karen Jones
RI International
+1 602-636-3092
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