New crisis receiving center in Price serving rural communities

PRICE — When someone is experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis, a crisis-receiving center can serve as a safe alternative to a hospital. A new facility in Price is filling that critical need.

The Four Corners Crisis Receiving Center opened in July and serves Carbon, Emery and Grand counties.

"If someone calls 988 in a crisis, we are a place people can go," Director Cacilia Jensen, who runs the facility, said.

She said individuals can be brought in by family members, by law enforcement, or walk in themselves. It's 100% voluntary. Since opening, the center has been able to serve nearly 80 individuals, who, before the center, would've likely been sent to the emergency room.

"Having a place for individuals to go now where we can meet the need has been really helpful to alleviate that resource being utilized in ways that maybe it wasn't the best option," Jensen said.

Adults age 18 and older can stay at the receiving center for up to 23 hours.

"Anybody who undergoes a stressful event, whether it's expected or unexpected in their life, something that is triggering to them, can cause them to be in a crisis and need our services," said Alanis Marshall, a registered nurse at the center.

Individuals go through a screening process upon entry and then are provided with services like medical stabilization, case management, and therapy. Crisis center workers also help clients come up with a discharge plan for when they leave the facility.

"We can take care of them in many different ways," Marshall said.

The center can serve up to six individuals at a time, with two social detox beds.

"The design of them is to be more home-like and more comfortable instead of a more clinical, hospital-like setting, which is not conducive to helping somebody feel calm and comfortable if they're experiencing a mental health crisis," Jensen said.

But serving a rural area doesn't come without its challenges. Jensen noted one of the biggest barriers they face is the lack of public transportation, forcing her team to "get creative" with how they do things.

"We have a company car that we use to transport clients as appropriate," she said. "Sometimes we have to call in additional staff to help."

And while they may be small — Jensen said they have about 17 staff members — they are making a difference in the lives of those who need it.

"We don't have a whole lot, but we make miracles happen every day with the resources that we have," Jensen said.

The Four Corners Crisis Receiving Center is located at 575 E. 100 South in Price. It's open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Four other crisis-receiving centers are located in Salt Lake, Utah, Davis and Washington counties.

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