The study reveals a compelling return on investment (ROI), demonstrating that for every dollar spent on community mental health services, there is a significant and measurable benefit to society. These findings highlight the critical role CMHCs and crisis units play in improving mental health outcomes, reducing emergency room visits, preventing hospitalizations, major impact on jails, and supporting individuals in living healthier, more fulfilling lives.
Adult & Child Health operates a crisis center at 8320 Madison Avenue in Indianapolis. It functions like an urgent care center, but for behavioral health events including thoughts of suicide. Treatment occurs in a calm, therapeutic setting. Clients can walk in or be referred by health care providers or by emergency responders.
More than 100 people sought help at Adult & Child’s Indianapolis crisis center in its first six months of operation. Adult & Child operates under its parent company, Brightli.
“Our main priority for crisis services is to save lives,” said Dr. Christine Negendank, Brightli Regional President for Indiana. “Studies like this one from Blue & Co. Show that in addition to reducing barriers to behavioral health care and helping one individual at a time, we are also making positive ripple effects across the communities we serve each time we help a person experiencing a behavioral health crisis.”
The study, which involved a comprehensive analysis of data from CMHCs throughout Indiana, found that these centers are not only essential to mental well-being but also a smart investment in the long-term health of the state’s economy. Key findings from the study include:
- Reduced healthcare costs: Community mental health centers help decrease the need for emergency room visits and inpatient hospitalizations, reducing overall healthcare spending.
- Crisis services vs. Inpatient hospitalization: Community mental health centers – crisis services have had an annualized savings of $80,867,002. This has been accomplished by providing timely, effective mental health interventions, reducing the need for more costly emergency room visits, hospitalizations, and law enforcement involvement. By focusing on community-based care, including mobile crisis units and 988, Indiana has been able to prevent costly institutional care and ensure individuals in crisis receive the appropriate support, ultimately lowering healthcare and criminal justice system expenses.
- Crisis services vs. Jail: Crisis services in Indiana have saved the state an annualized $45 million in jail services by diverting individuals with mental health crises away from jails and into appropriate care. Through programs like mobile crisis units and mental health treatment, individuals in need of mental health services receive timely interventions that prevent arrests and reduce the need for incarceration. This approach not only improves outcomes for those in crisis but also lowers the financial burden on the criminal justice system.
This study serves as an important reminder of the value of prioritizing mental health and investing in the services that make a real difference in people’s lives.
About Adult & Child Health: Adult & Child Health is a Joint Commission accredited community mental health center and Federally Qualified Healthcare Center Look-alike (FQHC) in Central Indiana. A&C strives for caring communities where all people can live healthy, purposeful lives. Services include behavioral health, primary care, social services and addictions treatment, all of which are designed to provide quick, affordable and efficient access to high quality care. Adult & Child is an affiliate and member organization of Brightli, a network of health providers across the Midwest. Learn more at http://adultandchild.org
